Trade Pippen? For what?

Trade rumors have swirled around Pippen's name since the completion of the season. Due to his less than spectacular performance, many fans soured and seem to want to give up on him and get whatever is offered. I on the other hand am not ready to see him go just yet....unless the price is right. I have heard a few rumors. One has him going to the Lakers for Robert Horry and Glen Rice. This to me is a terrible trade. Sure, Rice would fit our offense perfectly, but I think Horry has seen his best years and may not like the idea of suiting up as a Rocket again. Remember he doesn't have a good record of performing when he's not happy.

So far, the only rumor I've heard that I do like and would do in an instant is Pippen for Gary Payton straight up. Whew, Payton as a Rocket. Wow, I'd love it. I think it would be the best thing we could do. It is very unlikely, and may necessitate the involvement of a third team, but if it's in any way possible I'd do it. Remember, one of the Rockets worst problems were their turnovers. This was caused in large part to having two rookies starting in the backcourt. Our starting point guard of the past two years, who could've at least brought some stability, somehow lost all brain function soon after signing his new guaranteed contract. I think Brent Price was the one negotiating it or something. The Rockets have never had a great point guard, and if the chance is there... Payton is a great defender, ballhandler, competitor, and creator. Like Nike says, "Just do it!"

Pippen now wants trade?

UPDATE: Pippen has now said he wants the Rockets to trade him to the Lakers. This comes just a couple of weeks after saying that he did not want to be traded and looked forward to playing in Houston next season.

If the Rockets do give Scottie his wish to play in L.A., we must get equal value in return. The aforementioned trade including Rice and Horry for Pippen is obviously insulting. We should demand either Kobe or Shaq. I don't really want Kobe Bryant on my team, but what the hell. For many reasons, I do not believe the Lakers will part with either player, so the only other option is to involve one or more other teams. If Scottie does get to go to L.A., we must receive an impact player in return, someone like Payton, McDyess, Abdur-Rahim, Kidd, etc. Obviously, I know that none of these guys are available or probable, just that these are the 'type' of players we'd need to get for Pippen.

Our other option is to trade Pippen to another team besides L.A. Since he wants to be traded, he probably will not play up to his potential if we decided not to trade him. So, we could trade him to the Clippers, Grizzlies, or Raptors. Send him somewhere where he won't even make the playoffs. He hasn't done us any favors, so there's really no reason for us to do him any.

It is looking more and more like we will trade Pippen to a team other than the Lakers. There are rumors involving: the Blazers (Wallace and Augmon or Williams), the Mavericks (Finley and Nowitski), the Hornets (Jones and other player), the Bucks (Allen or Robinson and Johnson and Thomas), and the Knicks (Sprewell and Childs or maybe Thomas). The Rockets have heard the Blazer offer and are looking into other options. The Bucks probably are not offering Allen, which makes it less appealing to me. Right now, the most likely and the one I like the most is with the Knicks. With Sprewell we'd have what I believe is the best starting five in the NBA, that is if we sign the free agent Shandon Anderson. We'd also have two quality players to come off the bench in Massenburg and Mobley.

Finally, I wasn't happy with Pippen's performance last season. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he played better next season. He obviously isn't willing to give the Rockets the benefit of the doubt, and give it another try. I wanted McDyess all along, but wasn't upset we got Pippen, until I had to watch him play.

GOOD RIDDANCE!

So, we traded him, did we get fair value?

UPDATE the final episode: The Rockets have officially traded Scottie Pippen to the Portland Trail Blazers for: Stacey Augmon, Walt Williams, Kelvin Cato, Ed Gray, Brian Shaw, and Carlos Rogers. It is the merciful end of the Pippen era.

First let me say, I am glad he is gone. I think that is obvious. But, I am not happy with what we got in return. Not one starter, hell not even a future starter, in the bunch. I will go on record as saying that if the Rockets do not acquire another starter either at SF or SG, then this is the death knell for the 1999 - 2000 season. Not, that we'll miss Pippen's underachieving, but that we'll miss the presence of a talented veteran starter.

New UPDATE:  I thought that was the final episode.  Well, this is more about who we got in the trade than about Pippen himself.  Since the season has started, we cut Stacey Augmon, Ed Gray, and Brian Shaw.  That means we got three bench players for a player who was named one of the NBA's 50 Greastest of all-time.  So far, Rogers and Cato have performed at or above expectations, but Walt Williams is in a season-long slump and was recently benched.

Final UPDATE:  So, we ended up with Carlos Rogers, who I like and who played well, but who was also injured much of the season.  He only played in 53 games.  We also got Kelvin Cato.  Boy did he have the Rockets, and just about everyone else, fooled with his pre-season performances.  He had more good games during that period than he did the rest of the regular season.  I sure hope we can find a way to trade him and his $42 million salary.  Walt Williams, let's not forget Walt.  He finished up strong, but he failed to perform when we needed him the most.  He has fit well with team chemistry, but his salary is not reflective of what he produces on the court.

None of this means that I regret trading Pippen.  I'm as happy as a spring chicken that he is no longer a Houston Rocket.  I just think the organization did a very poor job of shopping him around and getting some quality players in return.