NBA Analyst Reveals Shocking Details of Why Scottie Pippen Signed the Controversial Contract with Chicago Bulls in 1991
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The first episode of The Last Dance about Michael Jordan and the 1997/98 Chicago Bulls season aired on Sunday. and one of the biggest talking points in it was the contract of Scottie Pippen. Heading into the season, Pippen was earning a significantly lesser salary as compared to fellow superstar Jordan. It was because of a contract that Pippen had signed six years ago.
Analyzing the contract on ESPN’s First Take, Max Kellerman said that situations forced Pippen to sign a long-term deal.
“He didn’t just have a back story, he also had a back injury. He was very concerned that it would limit him and he would end up having a very short career,” Kellerman said. “Jerry Reinsdorf said, ‘If we sign this deal, and you get hurt, I still have to pay you all the money. (But) if you outperform, do not come back to me.”
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An NBA agent told me Scottie Pippen’s agents back then were Jimmy Sexton and Kyle Rote. They recommended Pippen not take the bad deal from Bulls, which is why he stayed loyal to them. Agent added that Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf also was not big on giving opt-outs in contracts.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) April 20, 2020
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And it happened in the end. Pippen gained superstar stature in the next few years. Pippen had signed the contract for being financially secure even if he gets injured. Continuing the discussion on the show, Stephen A. Smith said the huge difference also had to do with the rise in popularity of the NBA– something very few would have imagined.
Scottie Pippen addressed his contract in The Last Dance
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Signing the contract under pressure was something that Pippen reiterated in the documentary. He said that he could not risk getting injured which carried a risk of not being able to feed his family.
“I do recall it was a longer contract than I thought was smart with him,” Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf said in the documentary. “I said to Scottie the same thing I said to Michael: ‘If I were you i wouldn’t be signing this deal. You could be selling yourself short. It’s too long of a deal.’”
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