NBA: He Played For Them?Scottie Pippen Edition
Your eyes do not deceive you. That is Scottie Pippen in a Houston Rockets uniform, standing next to Charles Barkley.
Pippen played one lone season with the Round Mound of Rebound from 1998-1999. It was actually specifically Charles Barkley who led Scottie Pippen in his decision to leave the Houston Rockets the following year.
Let me break this down a bit more.
A Bull Becomes A Rocket
Scottie Pippen spent 12 seasons with the Chicago Bulls from 1988-1998 and then later on from 2003-2004. He won 6 titles with Michael Jordan and Head Coach Phil Jackson, even beating his soon-to-be Rockets teammate, Charles Barkley, in the 1993 Finals.
When Pippen got to Houston, he was joining a team led by the Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, a two-time NBA Champion and an MVP. Houston also had another former MVP, Charles Barkley. This eventual failed superteam seemed like it could be a dominant force in the 1998-1999 season.
Regular Season and Playoffs
The 1999 NBA season was shortened due to a lockout that lasted from July 1st, 1998, to January 20th, 1999. The reason for the lockout was due to a labor dispute between NBA owners and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
Because of the shortened season, the Rockets finished with a record of 31-19, 5th in the Western Conference.
Pippen averaged 14.5 points that season and finished in the top 10 in Defensive Player of the Year voting. His co-stars, Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon, averaged 16.1 points per game and 18.9 points per game.
The Rockets played the Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. In the best-of-5 series, the Rockets lost in game 4, only winning 1 game during the series. Pippen averaged 17 points per game and 5.9 assists.
Beef With Barkley
Scottie’s lone season with the Rockets ended for several reasons, but the main one was because of Charles Barkley.
Pippen and Barkley dealt with chemistry issues throughout the season; the fact that the season was shortened due to the lockout didn’t help this. Scottie Pippen also stated that he had a desire to play for former coach Phil Jackson, and that the Rockets didn’t align with his needs.
On top of this, Pippen cited that Charles Barkley’s “selfishness” and lack of dedication factored into Scottie's eventual departure.
What Happened Next?
Scottie Pippen got what he wished for. Although it wasn’t Phil Jackson, he had a new role on a new team, and that was the Portland Trailblazers. Pippen would find some success with the Blazers, helping them win 59 games in 2000 and 50 games in 2001. He averaged 11.4 points in his time with the Blazers.
Pippen would, unfortunately, never see the same success that he had with the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan. Pippen would return to the Bulls in 2003, and he would finish his career there at the end of the 2004 season.
