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Which of these failed “nearly there” player trades would have altered the landscape of the league the most?

1. Pippen/Kemp 94’ draft day trade

According to George Karl the official deal was Shawn Kemp, Ricky Pierce, 94’ SEA 1st (11th overall I think?) for Scottie Pippen. This was supposedly as close to a done deal as you can get. If you go back and rewatch the 94’ draft there are references from reporters saying a breaking trade was to be expected ‘any minute now’. Seattle GM supposedly got cold feet last minute and pulled the plug on it.

Does Pippens absence mean MJ never returns from his retirement? if he comes back to play with Kemp do they still 3-peat from 96-98’? Does a Payton and Pippen duo fair any better and perhaps get Seattle its coveted championship that they came so close to in 96’? This also opens the door for potential boosts to the legacies of Stockton and Malone too.

2. Tyson Chandler to OKC for Chris Wilcox, Joe Smith, and DeVon Hardin

This one actually was a done deal that was rescinded because Chandler failed his physical. Had this gone through does Dirk still end up with his 2011 ring? Dirk still goes supernova in the 2011 playoffs I’m sure, but Chandler was 2nd best player on that Mavs team so that’s a big loss. The irony is that their WCF opponent that year was the Thunder who they beat in 5 games. Is that Mavs team without Chandler enough to get past that young OKC squad + Chandler that year? If OKC wins that series are they beating the Heat in 2011 or does Lebron get another championship added to his resume? Assuming OKC + Chandler wins a ring in 2011 or 2012 maybe they think twice about trading Harden and breaking that core up. KD probably never heads to the warriors with a championship on his resume either.

dreamshake34 wrote:Which of these failed “nearly there” player trades would have altered the landscape of the league the most?

1. Pippen/Kemp 94’ draft day trade

According to George Karl the official deal was Shawn Kemp, Ricky Pierce, 94’ SEA 1st (11th overall I think?) for Scottie Pippen. This was supposedly as close to a done deal as you can get. If you go back and rewatch the 94’ draft there are references from reporters saying a breaking trade was to be expected ‘any minute now’. Seattle GM supposedly got cold feet last minute and pulled the plug on it.

Does Pippens absence mean MJ never returns from his retirement? if he comes back to play with Kemp do they still 3-peat from 96-98’? Does a Payton and Pippen duo fair any better and perhaps get Seattle its coveted championship that they came so close to in 96’? This also opens the door for potential boosts to the legacies of Stockton and Malone too.

2. Tyson Chandler to OKC for Chris Wilcox, Joe Smith, and DeVon Hardin

This one actually was a done deal that was rescinded because Chandler failed his physical. Had this gone through does Dirk still end up with his 2011 ring? Dirk still goes supernova in the 2011 playoffs I’m sure, but Chandler was 2nd best player on that Mavs team so that’s a big loss. The irony is that their WCF opponent that year was the Thunder who they beat in 5 games. Is that Mavs team without Chandler enough to get past that young OKC squad + Chandler that year? If OKC wins that series are they beating the Heat in 2011 or does Lebron get another championship added to his resume? Assuming OKC + Chandler wins a ring in 2011 or 2012 maybe they think twice about trading Harden and breaking that core up. KD probably never heads to the warriors with a championship on his resume either.

First inclination is 1 (of the two).

I don't know if MJ comes back to play with Kemp. If he doesn't that's a huge change.

OKC ... Chandler adds another player to the OKC core that's going to be expensive. I could be wrong, an earlier title might change things but my sense is OKC couldn't/wouldn't sustain something potentially on the route to being a very expensive roster and I don't think this changes that. As such ... leaving aside wider unknown butterfly stuff ... the Bulls being different and maybe sans-MJ (maybe he's elsewhere?) is huge and not that improbable to me.