Scottie Pippen Wanted To Play For Lakers Twice Following End Of Bulls Dynasty: ‘Los Angeles Seemed Perfect For Me’

NBA icon Scottie Pippen wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers twice after the Chicago Bulls dynasty ended in 1998. 

After the Bulls won the 1998 championship over the Utah Jazz, Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson retired, so Pippen knew his time in Chicago was over.

“The Lakers were my first choice,” Pippen wrote in his book. “With Shaq, 26, and Kobe, only 22, they were the team of the future — perhaps, with me providing veteran leadership, the team of the present. None of the Lakers, except for Robert Horry, had earned a ring. Los Angeles seemed perfect for me.”

The Lakers went 61-21 in 1997-98 but lost to the Jazz in the 1998 Western Conference Finals in four games. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were rising stars in the NBA and Pippen wanted to play with them. 

However, Pippen joined the Houston Rockets via a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls. 

The Rockets went 31-19 in 1998-99 and faced the Lakers in the first round of the 1999 playoffs. Los Angeles defeated Houston in four quick games. 

After just one season, Pippen requested a trade from the Rockets and again had the Lakers as his preferred destination. Los Angeles hired Jackson as its head coach in the summer of 1999. 

“In any case, that summer, I spread the word that I wanted out of Houston — if possible, to hook up with the Lakers, who had recently hired a new coach I was a little familiar with, Phil Jackson,” Pippen wrote. “Believe me, I hadn’t forgotten about Phil having Toni Kukoc take the last shot. That I would never forget. At least I knew Phil wouldn’t tolerate players showing up out of shape or not working hard enough, as he, as well as Tex Winter, one of LA’s assistant coaches, would make sure everyone got involved in the offense.”

The Lakers weren’t willing to pick up the last year of Pippen’s deal, so the Rockets traded Pippen to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Los Angeles defeated Portland in the 2000 Western Conference Finals, the first round of the 2001 playoffs and the first round of the 2002 playoffs.

Pippen played 23 games with the Bulls in 2003-04 before retiring from the NBA. The six-time champion was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. 

Pippen finished his NBA career with averages of 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.8 blocks. He made seven All-Star teams, 10 All-Defensive teams and seven All-NBA teams. 

“I was a much better teammate than Michael ever was,” Pippen wrote. “Ask anyone who played with the two of us. I was always there with a pat on the back or an encouraging word, especially after he put someone down for one reason or another. I helped the others to believe in and stop doubting themselves. Every player doubts himself at some point. The key is how you deal with those doubts.”