Friday, February 16, 2007

Say it ain't so, Scottie!

Scottie Pippen wants to return to the NBA, preferably to "a contender that could make use of his experience in a playoff run." He says he's in good enough shape to play and is willing to sign a 10-day contract to prove it.

Pippen said,

Being out of the game, my body feels great," Pippen said, adding that his body fat is at an all-time low 5 percent and he's at his top playing weight of about 220 pounds.Taking this break, it feels amazing. I'm looking at somewhere I could play maybe 15 minutes. I'm not trying to be a big-money guy or anything, [just trying to] get with a team I can help in the playoffs.My knee is good, Pippen said. I've been working out regularly, doing drills.

The sure-fire Hall of Famer says he is banking that there's a playoff contender out there that in need of some veteran leadership. Let's review some of the contenders:

1. Dallas Mavericks - Somehow I don't think Mark Cuban is going to sign a charity case in need of another ring. He already has the deepest bench in the league.

2. San Antonio Spurs - They already have a former champion, 40-something old guy in Big Shot Rob. Hell, their entire roster is old.

3. Phoenix Suns - With the injuries adding up and not having the deepest bench among the elite teams, maybe Phoenix. There might be a Charles Barkley connection here.

4. L.A. - Phil Jackson? Kobe? Fuggidabouddit.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Also a thin bench, maybe. These guys could use their own version of a 'Big Shot Rob'.

6. Detroit Pistons - I'm letting the contenders list end here. I just don't think that with the departure of Big Ben to Chicago, that Detroit will seriously contend for the title. They also tend to get a bit dysfunctional under stress. If I were Scottie, I'd stay the hell away.

I'll pick either Phoenix and Cleveland as possible but remote destinations.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Scottie may be in good physical condition, but he needs to check his ego at the door. When he attended a high school boy's State Basketball Tournament last week in Hot Springs, Arkansas, he completely ignored the admiring young fans who had been waiting in line the entire game to get his autograph. Just because the team for which he was cheering, and for which a relative of his plays, didn't win the tournament (Hamburg lost to Huntsville 52-56), he 'picked up his ball and went home'. What kind of message is he sending the young, up-and-coming basketball players by doing that? Shame on you, Scottie!