Scottie Pippen wouldn't have returned to Chicago even if Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson had stayed: "I knew I was taking a different route"
When the final song of the Chicago Bulls' "Last Dance" concluded with their sixth and final championship in June 1998, prolific forward Scottie Pippen knew it was time for him to move on to the next chapter of his career.
To make his point loud and clear, the seven-time All-NBA Team member emphasized there was nothing anyone could have to change his mind, stressing that even had Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson been on board for another run, he wouldn't have returned.
Pip had his mind made up
Even though the Bulls finished the 1997-1998 season on top, winning a sixth title in the last eight years, there was far too much pent-up animosity between the players and the team's front office. Pippen, severely underpaid throughout his career with the Bulls, knew it was time to take control of his destiny and secure a lucrative contract elsewhere.
"Even before Michael announced his retirement, I knew that I was taking a different route than returning to Chicago," the seven-time All-Star said in an interview with NBC's Hannah Storm in 1999.
When asked for a more straightforward answer about giving the Bulls another chance had "Air Jordan" and Phil returned, Pippen reiterated his stance.
"I wouldn't have returned. Over time, you know, I still feel like there is some type of relationship there between me and the Bulls, but to have been there would have been very difficult for me," the native of Hamburg, Arkansas, emphasized.
The writing was already on the wall early in that season as Scottie took his time undergoing surgery to repair a torn tendon in his ankle so that he could enjoy his offseason. He eventually went under the knife before the season tipped off, missing the Bulls' first 35 games. This created more friction between Pippen and the organization.
He played 44 games and averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team that season.
MJ knew his longtime teammate wasn't coming back
Scottie added that he often spoke to Jordan about his plans, making sure his longtime teammate wouldn't be kept in the dark. After all, they spent over a decade together, forming the league's most potent dynamic duo.
"He pretty much knew it. You know, we talked a tremendous amount of time throughout the season, and we sort of had that vibe, that feeling after the season, that it was pretty much our last time together," Pip disclosed. "It was a little bit emotional at that time, but I knew that was it."
While Scottie never regretted his time with the Bulls, despite some tumultuous moments, he did express some bittersweet feelings about how things ended, as he firmly believed their run ended too soon.
"I don't think I'll look back on it with regrets, but I will always have in my mind that we could have won more championships. I didn't see that any team could have beaten us back then. I think it all ended too soon," Scottie expressed.
Pippen eventually got the big payday he coveted, moving to the Houston Rockets in a sign-and-trade deal in January 1999. He would move on to the Portland Trail Blazers, coming within a win away from reaching the NBA Finals yet again in 2000. Pip ultimately played his last season in the NBA with the Bulls, signing there in 2003.
