Michael Jordan’s fortunes took a significant turn when the Chicago Bulls traded for Scottie Pippen during the 1987 NBA Draft. Pippen’s arrival helped transform the Bulls into a legitimate title contender and eventually, a dynasty that clinched six NBA championships over eight years. However, former NBA player Olden Polynice, who was traded to acquire Scottie, believes the Windy City team could have won even more titles had they kept him.
Polynice expressed his viewpoint during an interview with TMZ, stating, What people don’t realize is we were never supposed to be traded. If I had played for Chicago, we would’ve won more titles.
The bold claim raises interesting questions about the dynamics of the Bulls’ success during the Jordan-Pippen era.
The 1987 NBA Draft
Bulls GM Jerry Krause coveted Pippen heading into the 1987 NBA Draft. However, after Seattle SuperSonics selected Scottie 5th overall, Chicago had to execute a trade to secure him. The Bulls traded Polynice, who was their 8th pick, alongside future considerations. While Scottie cemented his place as arguably the best sidekick in NBA history, helping Jordan achieve two three-peats, Polynice’s career didn’t reach the same heights. He played 15 seasons in the league with averages of 7.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Yet, O.P.—as Polynice is often called—believes things might have been different for both him and the Bulls without that trade. He mentioned not having migraine issues like Pippen early on and stated that the Bulls could have beaten Detroit in certain years, adding at least three more titles to Jordan’s resume. (Michael Jordan) He would’ve been knocking on Bill Russell’s door.
Could MJ Have Won More Rings?
It’s hard to imagine Jordan winning six championships without Pippen’s support. Even MJ himself acknowledged this dynamic during ‘The Last Dance’, calling Scottie his best teammate of all time: I would never be able to find another tandem, another support system, another partner in the game of basketball like Scottie Pippen. He was a pleasure to play with… Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen. Well, everybody says I won all these championships. But I didn’t win without Scottie Pippen.
The complexities of what could have been are intriguing but ultimately speculative. Despite Oakley’s assertion that Jordan and Pippen’s relationship was strained from the start as noted on ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast’, their synergy on the court produced undeniable success.No, I think it’s over,” Oakley said about Jordan and Pippen’s relationship during a recent appearance… “It wasn’t great from the get-go.
So could Polynice have fared better alongside MJ had Phil Jackson coached him? Perhaps. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to envision those additional three rings Michael supposedly missed out on amidst dominating teams like the Pistons between 1988 and 1990.
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