NBA legend, Michael Jordan once advocated for Scottie Pippen to receive a bigger salary during their time with the Chicago Bulls. Early in their careers, Pippen signed a 7-year deal worth $18 million. While seemingly lucrative at the time, it became a major underpay as Pippen became a star alongside Jordan.
Jordan understood Pippen’s importance. He publicly voiced his belief that Pippen was significantly undervalued. In a 1995 interview, he expressed his wish to “legally … give him some of the money” because Pippen “totally deserves” it.
From a fan perspective, Michael Jordan understood that a happy and well-compensated Pippen likely meant a more motivated teammate and a better chance of winning.
FYI, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan won a total of six championships together, in two separate three-peats (winning three championships in a row) with the Chicago Bulls.
Scottie Pippen’s famous underpayment situation early in his career with the Chicago Bulls
As per Spotrac, between 1987 and 1991, Scottie Pippen had a standard 4-year deal for a total of around $2.8 million. In 1991, Pippen signed a 7-year extension for a total of $18 million.
Well, Pippen was a crucial part of the Bulls’ championship runs, and he definitely deserved more.
Note: It’s important to remember the context of the era. Salary structures in the NBA were different then. The salary cap limited how much the Bulls could spend on individual players.
After years of being underpaid, Pippen finally got his due in free agency. He signed a lucrative 5-year, $67 million deal with the Houston Rockets in 1998. This was his largest contract. He played for a few other teams after that, including a final two-year stint back with the Bulls for $10 million. Pippen ended his career with total earnings of over $100 million.
Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan’s relationship turned bitter
After retirement, things seemed cordial, with Pippen even inducting Jordan into the Hall of Fame in 2010. Apparently, things fractured in 2020.
The 2020 documentary, The Last Dance, focused heavily on Jordan’s career. Pippen felt the documentary portrayed him and other teammates as secondary to Jordan’s greatness. He publicly criticized the portrayal and felt it downplayed his contributions. Pippen’s 2021 memoir, Unguarded also detailed the frustrations. Scottie Pippen expressed feelings of being overshadowed by Jordan.
Another point of contention could be that Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife, Larsa Pippen is dating Michael Jordan’s son, Marcus. Scottie Pippen was married to Larsa Pippen from 1997 to 2021. They have four children together.