- Larry Bird did not express sympathy for Scottie Pippen’s contract
- The Bulls star was completely underpaid during his time with the Bulls
- Pippen’s highest salary with the Bulls was $3.4 million in 1992-93
Former Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird did not feel sorry for Scottie Pippen’s seven-year, $18 million contract with the Chicago Bulls.
In his 1999 book, ‘Bird Watching’, the three-time NBA champion was blunt in his take on Pippen’s contract, which made him one of the most underpaid NBA players at that time.
“He signed the contract. If he was so sure that he was going to be that good, why didn’t he put an escape clause in there? And suppose he got hurt. He wouldn’t be complaining about the contract then.”
Pippen’s highest salary with the Bulls was $3.4 million in 1992-93, coming on the back of a seven-year, $18 million contract.
Certainly, his deal with the Bulls will go down as one of the worst in the NBA, but he had his reasons. His family needed tending to at the time, forcing the star to rush into his decision.
According to The Chicago Tribune, the forward’s domestic scenario was in shambles.
“It was the worst thing that ever happened to Scottie Pippen, that day in the playoffs almost two years ago when he got the call. He thinks of it often. His father, Preston, had died. A hard-working man who`d provided for a family of 12, of which Scottie was the youngest, he had suffered a stroke several years before and was confined to a wheelchair. But his presence and determination had still run the family.
“Ten kids tended to my mom, Ethel, and dad, Preston, who worked in a local mill but suffered a stroke and had to retire on disability before Pippen entered high school. And there was brother Ronnie, crippled and in a wheelchair after an accident in gym class. The vision of Preston deteriorating from a stroke most of Pippen’s life and of Ronnie in a wheelchair has always haunted Pippen–so much so that he was desperate to sign the five-year, $18 million contract extension in June 1991 that he now chafes under because of his long-standing fear of injury and loss of security.”
In all honesty, it is easy on paper to look at contract negotiations as a straightforward process. The back-and-forth has always been one of the defining characteristics between the player and the franchise, making it a lot more complex. This explains why Pippen may have inked a deal for a smaller salary.
In retrospect, Bird made $24 million in the NBA during his playing days. Surely it was a massive sum during his time, but it’s safe to say that Pippen did cross over the Celtics’ legend’s earnings over the course of his career.
Michael Jordan Was Brutally Honest About Scottie Pippen’s Contract
They may be having their feud ongoing now, but Michael Jordan was one of the players who openly expressed that his teammate, Scottie Pippen deserved more than the number that he was making, especially when he averaged 17.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in his 12 seasons with the Windy City franchise.
Before the 1995-96 season, the legend told Bulls reporter Cheryl Raye-Stout that Pippen was underpaid.
“I wish there was some way legally that I could give him some of the money that he totally deserves as a player,” Jordan remarked. “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.”
He had even once added that Pippen deserved every bit of the $30 million MJ was making. To lend perspective, Jordan made $30.1 million in the 1996-97 season and $33.1 million in 1997-98. Compare that to Pippen’s, No. 33 was practically making peanuts in the league despite his scintillating talent.
It is indeed unfortunate to see how things played out for Pippen from a contract standpoint. His numbers and his contribution to the team surely show he was worth a lot more.
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