You need a bit more context
by HTownND (2020-05-08 15:40:13)

In reply to: What a bunch of nonsense - on Pippen  posted by Steelhop


Jordan made $93M over the course of his career from his playing contracts, including $60M his final two years in Chicago.

Pippen indeed made $110M over the course of his career.
From 1987 through 1998, the Chicago Bulls paid Scottie Pippen, a total of $22M, or roughly $8M less than Jordan made during the singular 1998 season (their last before the team was broken up).

Pippen was notoriously underpaid, until he left after 98, signing a big money deal with the Rockets, and getting paid by the Rockets, and Trailblazers, which accounted for $77M of that $110M in career earnings.


I don't think anyone is saying we should weep for Scottie Pippen, he's doing fine.

But he signed a terrible contract in Chicago for 7 years and $19M following the 91 season.

Why he did that, was because to him, he didn't want to risk not getting paid, he took the long term security of a 7 year guaranteed deal and millions of dollars, versus a shorter deal and a chance at big money.

Unfortunately for Pippen, NBA salaries exploded after he signed that deal in 1991, so that by the time the 1998 season rolled around, while arguably being the second best player in the league, his salary ranked around 100th.

He got paid by other teams later, but the Bulls absolutely benefited from his deal, which he took, because he wanted to take care of his family.

So again, no one is weeping for Scottie Pippen. He did fine, his family did fine. But the reality is, he was wildly underpaid during his peak years in the NBA, and everyone knew it, including Pippen. It was a bad choice, but a logical one given Pippen's background and risk aversion.


PS - Scottie didn't have 12 kids, he was one of 12 kids, including a father who was permanently wheelchair bound following a stroke, and a brother, who was also wheelchair bound, because of an accident.


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