Michael Jordan Hated That Scottie Pippen Was Underpaid With Bulls: ‘I Wish There Was Some Way Legally I Could Give Him Some Of The Money He Deserves’

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen made a lot of money during their NBA careers.

However, they were underpaid during their years with the Chicago Bulls.

While Jordan made $30.1 million in 1996-97 and $33.1 million in 1997-98, the most he earned in a season with the Bulls before 1996-97 was $4 million.

Meanwhile, Pippen’s highest salary with Chicago was $3.4 million in 1992-93. He was grossly underpaid his entire Bulls tenure, which did not sit well with Jordan.

Before the 1995-96 season, Jordan told legendary Bulls reporter Cheryl Raye-Stout that Pippen was underpaid. Jordan, who made millions through endorsements off the court, revealed to Stout that he wished there was a way he could legally help his partner in crime financially.

“I wish there was some way legally that I could give him some of the money that he totally deserves as a player,” Jordan said. “He’s totally underpaid. For years, I was underpaid, but I played it out, and I think he’s going to play it out too. At the end of three years, I hope they reward him with a just and fair contract.”

In July 1991, Pippen signed a seven-year, $18 million contract with the Bulls. He could have made much more money in Chicago if he had played it right, but the small forward couldn’t risk passing up $18 million since he had to take care of his family.

Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Jerry Krause could have re-negotiated Pippen’s contract after the do-it-all swingman outplayed his deal and became a superstar. However, they never did, tarnishing Pippen’s relationship with both men, especially Krause.

Once Pippen learned that Krause tried to trade him before the 1997-98 season, he began to berate the general manager on the bus in front of the team. Pippen underwent surgery on his injured ankle during the 1997-98 season instead of the previous summer as his way of thumbing his nose at Krause.

In November 1997, Pippen publicly demanded a trade from the Bulls, stating he wouldn’t come off the injured list until the team traded him. The NBA icon was upset that Krause wouldn’t pay him. Pippen also knew the team would break up after the season since Phil Jackson wasn’t coming back and Jordan was a free agent.

The Bulls did not trade Pippen, who admitted he knew that would happen in Episode 2 of “The Last Dance” docuseries. Pippen made his 1997-98 debut on January 10, 1998, against the Golden State Warriors.

With Jordan, Pippen and Dennis Rodman back on the court together, the Bulls were once again primed to win a championship despite all the turmoil behind the scenes.

The Bulls won 62 games in 1997-98 and defeated the Utah Jazz in the ’98 NBA Finals to capture their sixth championship. Jordan won his sixth Finals MVP by averaging 33.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the six-game series.

The Bulls traded Pippen, who played through a painful back injury in Game 6 of the ’98 NBA Finals against the Jazz, to the Houston Rockets after Jackson and Jordan retired in the summer of 1998. As part of the sign-and-trade deal, Pippen signed a five-year, $67.2 million contract, finally receiving the money he deserved.

Per Spotrac, Pippen made around $109 million in NBA money. Jordan only earned roughly $93 million, but he’s racked up a net worth of $3.2 billion thanks to his Jordan brand and other endorsements.

It’s certainly a shame how the Bulls dynasty ended. Although the team won the 1998 title, they could have gone for a seventh championship in 1998-99 if Krause didn’t force Jackson to retire and mistreat Jordan and Pippen.