David
Years ago

Shaun Kemp/Scottie Pippen trade in 94

I found a tremendous article on the big what if Pippen had been traded to the Sonics for Shaun Kemp and the implications for the trade.

Jordan addressed the issue when asked if he would every returned to Chicago who was playing baseball at the time when the trade almost went down. Jordan suggests he probably would of not returned.

I think in some ways Kemp would not of been the great winner out of the trade if it went down that some suggest. Kemp suits the run and gun game that is in the west and also a point guard like payton really helped Kemps game more then people let on.

Jordan may have been a more positive influence on Kemp though. May have spoken up earlier about Kemps problems and nipped it in the bud which was failed to be done at the sonics where maybe teammates felt like they couldn't confront Kemp with his problems.

Here is the article

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/955952-chicago-bulls-shawn-kemp-for-scottie-pippen-the-trade-that-never-happened

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birdman
Years ago

Jordan was a great player but he is not a mesiah who can just influence everybones behaviour and make people act perfect! big call to say kemp would have been different just because of Jordan.

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David
Years ago

Yeah that is true but remember Jordan did get Doug Collins fired so if he knew something like this was going on he probably would of used his star power to get management to fix the situation.

Jordan and Kemp would have been interesting duo together if it happened. I tend to think Jordan would have came back to the bulls if Scottie Pippen was there or not. Remember he played for the wizards without Pippen. I think he would of played for the Bulls again but because of his friendship with Pippen it would of not felt the same without him.

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celtic green
Years ago

I don't know, the cache Jordan had with other players at that time is much higher then it is now. Hell, he got Rodman to keep his shit together for 3 years, you think he could not have got Kemp to? All Kemp really needed was someone who was a stronger personality then he was so he would not play up, I think Jordan would have provided that. I don't think the team would have been as good though, Pippens game just fitted with Jordans

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Kobe24
Years ago

All here say but easier for him to come back to Wizards without Pippen after a;ready having won 6 titles with him! Kemp was always overated imo, some of the most amazing highlights one man could have in a career, but he fundamentally was never that top tier guy.

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David
Years ago

Kobe24 If you read Jordan's book with the Wizards it states when he was GM for the Wizards he was getting restless watching the team play and he had to comeback and play. He was even watching the team play at the stadium behind the windows but couldn't even bare that and instead watched the games on TV at a different location when GM.

I have read other Jordan books which have said that he was addicted to competition which made up part of his greatness. I agree the Bulls teams would not of have been as good with Kemp then they were with Pippen even if Kemp didn't go through all his trial and tribulations.

But Jordan was pretty much forced to Quit baseball because of the Lockout. Did you think he would of been content sitting at home waiting to pick up the kids from school? He would of come back because of his addiction to competition but it would of been harder to win without Pippen.

Jordan answer about not coming back was being polite and letting the media know how important Pippen was to his career. But I still contend from what I have read about Jordan that he would of been back.

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Hoops

Shaun Kemp/Scottie Pippen trade in 94

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