Michael Jordan vetoed Tracy McGrady trade for Scottie Pippen on draft night

[jlip]

"Tracy McGrady was drafted with the No. 9 pick of the 1997 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors but was nearly a member of the Chicago Bulls until Michael Jordan vetoed a trade.

McGrady told ESPN's The Jump that he was nearly traded to Chicago in exchange for Scottie Pippen, but Jordan did not want the deal to happen.

'What a lot of people don't know about that night is that Jerry Krause was actually trying to make a trade for me and Scottie Pippen,' McGrady said. 'MJ called and axed that whole deal.'

McGrady went on to play the first three years of his career in Toronto.

The trade that McGrady mentioned on Wednesday was discussed in Jonathan Abrams' book Boys Among Men: How the Prep-to-Pro Generation Redefined the NBA and Sparked a Basketball Revolution."

Watch the video at the link below also.

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/06/23/mic...ba-draft-video

[guy]

Very old news that everyone knew about. Pretty surprised Rachel Nichols and Ramona Shelburne didn't know about this.

[tmacattack33]

Scottie Pippen for someone chosen 9th overall?

[Roundball_Rock]

It makes sense. Why trade an elite player for a high schooler when you have MJ and are competing for championships?

MJ routinely opposed trading Pippen--and even threatened to retire if Chicago ever did. Note that when Chicago indeed traded Pippen MJ promptly carried through on his threat to retire (CHI also let Jackson go).

Interestingly, in 1995--before MJ returned--and the Bulls and Sonics were considering a Pippen-Kemp trade MJ advised his friend George Karl (the Sonics coach) to do the trade because he believed that would make the Sonics champions.

[kamil]

It makes sense. Why trade an elite player for a high schooler when you have MJ and are competing for championships?

MJ routinely opposed trading Pippen--and even threatened to retire if Chicago ever did. Note that when Chicago indeed traded Pippen MJ promptly carried through on his threat to retire (CHI also let Jackson go).

Interestingly, in 1995--before MJ returned--and the Bulls and Sonics were considering a Pippen-Kemp trade MJ advised his friend George Karl (the Sonics coach) to do the trade because he believed that would make the Sonics champions.

I believe MJ retired due to Jackson leaving. Things escalated after that. Plus, Pippen was getting paid SHIT during the MJ years, so there was a lot of tension between Pippen and the Krause.

[Smoke117]

It makes sense. Why trade an elite player for a high schooler when you have MJ and are competing for championships?

MJ routinely opposed trading Pippen--and even threatened to retire if Chicago ever did. Note that when Chicago indeed traded Pippen MJ promptly carried through on his threat to retire (CHI also let Jackson go).

Interestingly, in 1995--before MJ returned--and the Bulls and Sonics were considering a Pippen-Kemp trade MJ advised his friend George Karl (the Sonics coach) to do the trade because he believed that would make the Sonics champions.

They pretty clearly become a better team with Pippen. Can you imagine what a terror he and Gary would have been on the perimeter defensively? Gary's best offensive weapon was his post game and this allows him to play off the ball and get position as Scottie could also facilitate.