Here’s the deal
A story making the rounds that Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has privately assured coach Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan that Scottie Pippen will not be traded, no matter the offer.
Not true.
So says Bulls hoops honcho Jerry Krause.
Krause was in on a conference call with Reinsdorf and Kyle Rote Jr., Pippen’s agent, the day before Pippen’s return to the uniform he said he’d never wear again. Rote called Reinsdorf to see what the situation was with his client.
Turned out, same as always.
“We told Mr. Rote that we don’t expect to trade Scottie,” Krause said, “But if someone knocks us over with an offer, then we have to listen. We didn’t tell him it wouldn’t happen. The only player who can’t be traded is Michael.”
Which means the Bulls could spend the next month getting used to Pippen all over again, and then everything could change again.
“We intend to win a championship with this team, with Scottie Pippen,” Krause said. “But if we can win a championship easier with another player out there, we would do it. But there isn’t a player out there like that.
“This is hypothetical, but let’s say someone said, `I’ll trade you (Hakeem) Olajuwon for Pippen.’ Well, what would you do? You’d listen, certainly. But that won’t happen.”
BUT STILL
The best roster in basketball could be blown up by the Feb. 19 trading deadline.
“Here are the chances,” Krause said, “slim and none, and slim is going down the highway in the opposite direction. “But slim is still there.”
RUSH HOUR
I still expect the Bears to make a run at San Francisco defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield, especially considering he didn’t have a sack in his last six games, which includes two playoff contests.
BACK AT YOU
The Broncos have spent the playoffs getting even. Jacksonville, Kansas City, Pittsburgh–all delivered big-time defeats on Denver within the last year, all got smacked in the postseason by Denver.
So for what it’s worth, the last time Green Bay played Denver, it was the Pack, 41-6.
Suddenly those 14 points look better, huh?
ARMS RACE
Don’t know if Lorenzo Barcelo can throw accurately, but he throws hard.
Barcelo, one of the key guys the White Sox picked up from San Francisco when they cashed in 1997, recently beaned Julio Franco in a Dominican winter league game and put Franco out for a while.
HMMM
Hard to believe that Rey Sanchez is still unsigned, what with him asking for a mere $3 million.
JUST SAY NO
Old friend Stu Grimson, now beating the snot out of people for Carolina, whom the Blackawks face Wednesday night, just fought New York Rangers tough guy Darren Langdon for the sixth time.
And just beat him for the sixth time.
“I guess he just likes beating up on me,” Langdon said. “He just said, `Let’s go,’ and I have a bad habit of saying yes.”
QUOTABLE
Charles Barkley, on being fourth in the All-Star balloting–and liking it: “I’ve already got my room booked in Las Vegas for that weekend. As long as the fans don’t put me in, I know the coaches won’t be dumb enough to put me on the team.”
