There has been considerable talk since the Bulls elimination from the playoffs-and Scottie Pippen’s shocking refusal to re-enter Game 3 against the New York Knicks-that the Bulls ought to trade Pippen for a top draft pick so they can select Grant Hill in the draft.
That’s not going to happen because no team has traded a top draft pick for more than a decade, draft picks being the building blocks to success in the NBA now, and none of the top three teams this year want to deal their picks.
But Pippen remains a major superstar of the game and a sure Hall of Famer, so the notion is you may be able to rebuild a team by dealing him. And there’s the cloud of Toni Kukoc’s imminent new contract hanging over the Bulls and Pippen, who has said he won’t react well to that.
The Bulls need only a little patching, provided they re-sign Horace Grant, to remain a championship contender. But if they lose Grant and cannot deal with Pippen, it’s also important to consider that teams trading superstars have generally had to fall to the bottom to work their way back up.
Here’s a look at the results of the trades of the game’s biggest stars:
– Wilt Chamberlain. Traded by the San Francisco (now Golden State) Warriors to the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 15, 1965, for Paul Neumann, Connie Dierking and Lee Shaffer. The Warriors went from 48 victories in the last full season with Chamberlain to 35 in the first full one without him, while the 76ers set a then-record of 68 victories a season and a half later.
Chamberlain then was traded on July 9, 1968, to the Los Angeles Lakers for Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark and Darrall Imhoff. The 76ers did win 55 games the next season, but were headed to a NBA record-low 9-73 season within four years, while the Lakers went to the Finals in the 1968-69 season.
– Oscar Robertson. Traded on April 21, 1970, to the Milwaukee Bucks by the Cincinnati Royals for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk. The Bucks won their only title the next season, while the Royals plummeted every year and moved to Kansas City four years later.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Traded by the Bucks to the Lakers on June 16, 1975, with Walt Wesley for Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Dave Meyers and Junior Bridgeman. The Lakers averaged about 45 victories thereafter until Magic Johnson arrived, and then Abdul-Jabbar won five more titles. While the Bucks remained reasonably competitive, they’ve never won another title.
– Charles Barkley. Traded on June 17, 1992, by the 76ers to the Phoenix Suns for Tim Perry, Jeff Hornacek and Andrew Lang. Philadelphia went from 35 to 26 victories and Phoenix went to the Finals the first season with Barkley.
Where there’s a Will: The Bulls’ search for a shooting guard starts in the NBA draft, should it occur, and talk among personnel directors has the Bulls looking at Missouri-Kansas City’s Tony Dumas and Louisville’s Greg Minor. But, according to several players’ agents, Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause is saying the Bulls will be moving up from No. 21 in the draft to pick in the mid-teens. The only way the Bulls could accomplish that is to offer Will Perdue and their No. 1 to move up and get a No. 1 pick four or five slots higher. The Bucks, with the No. 18 pick, are said to be interested in Perdue, but the Warriors, at No. 16 and not excited about the available talent, also could be a possibility. If they lose Grant, the Bulls are said to be interested in Seattle free agent Michael Cage.
Around the league: Former Bulls assistant John Bach is expected to sign on as a top Charlotte Hornets assistant this week. It was the Bulls greatest fear that Bach would take his defensive expertise and knowledge of the Bulls’ system within the division. . . . Trying to clear salary cap space to sign Horace Grant, the Magic is trying to deal Scott Skiles to Atlanta or Miami, but neither the Hawks nor the Heat want to help the Magic get Grant. . . . Bulls assistant Jim Cleamons is drawing big interest from Isiah Thomas for the Toronto head coaching job in 1995-96. . . . Heat coach Kevin Loughery is talking to former Bulls coach Ed Badger and former Nets coach Dave Wohl for his staff. . . . The Hornets talked to Seattle assistant Tim Grgurich with owner Barry Ackerley’s children now running the team, and most of the staff is trying to get out. The talk is, with the chaos, Detlef Schrempf might exercise his option to become a free agent.
Ford in Spurs’ future? New Boston General Manager M.L. Carr said he’ll decide this weekend on the fate of Chris Ford, who might get the San Antonio job if he’s released from his Celtics contract. That current GM Dave Gavitt was kicked upstairs is not a surprise considering the splintered Celtics organization, but the promotion of Carr, currently director of community relations, was. Carr never has scouted or negotiated contracts. Former Celtics great Larry Bird rejected the job and reportedly was upset about Gavitt’s removal. But new management sees the likeable Carr as a an answer for recent local anti-Celtics sentiment. Said board chairman Paul Gaston: “Skeptics have pointed out that M.L. might not have the ideal background for the job. But M.L. has the most incredible enthusiasm I’ve ever seen. Anyone around him gets tired real quick.”
Hill’s topper: Duke’s Grant Hill, expected to be chosen third in the draft by Detroit, on being asked if he sought advice on the NBA from Duke graduates, like Bobby Hurley or Christian Laettner: “I wouldn’t ask Christian for advice.” Hill, meanwhile, might want to watch himself with the local business community if he does go to Detroit. “It’s been a dream of mine for so long I don’t even want to talk about it,” Hill said. “I’m afraid I’ll jinx it. Once I sign a contract, then I’ll be happy. Then I’ll jump like in the Toyota commercial.”
There is some counterintelligence going on over the Hill pick. The Mavericks, at No. 2, are supposedly leaning toward California’s Jason Kidd, but also letting it be known they might go for Hill and play Hill and Jim Jackson at guard. That might scare Detroit into giving up something to switch places.
After Glenn Robinson, Kidd and Hill, the rest of the lottery picks look like Donyell Marshall to Minnesota, Juwan Howard to Washington, Sharone Wright to Philadelphia, Lamond Murray to the Clippers, Brian Grant or Eric Montross to Sacramento, Jalen Rose or Grant to Boston, Khalid Reeves or Eddie Jones to the Lakers and Montross or Yinka Dare to Seattle.
No chance yet: Phoenix Suns President Jerry Colangelo on recovering addict Richard Dumas: “You want to be able to give anyone a second or third chance, but he has to deal with it, and he still hasn’t shown the ability to deal with it.” Colangelo was also shooting down the wildest rumor of Finals week, that the Bulls were trading Michael Jordan’s rights at Jordan’s request to the Suns so Jordan could finish his career with good friend Charles Barkley. The Bulls were to get Oliver Miller, Cedric Ceballos and Dan Majerle.
