What if Mike Jordan never retires in 1998?

[Pennebaker]

What happens next?

Depends on if Phil Jackson, Pippen and Rodman were still on the Bulls with him. If not, it wouldn't have been pretty.

Jordan is a fraud that was made by Scottie Pippen, right?

I said Jackson, Pippen and Rodman, not just Pippen.

But Jordan was not a fraud. He just needed specific people around him or else his teams couldn’t contend. I believe the most indispensable was Phil Jackson - he was the only person that Jordan would allow to check his ego.

Remove one of any of the main pieces (Jackson/Pippen/Rodman-Grant) and it just didn’t work. He tried winning with only 2 of the 3 and he could never even make the Finals that way, let alone win it all.

This is because MJ was only one 6’5 guard. There was only so much he could do. He needed teammates to cover other responsibilities like low post scoring and rebounding and interior defense and playing point guard (or point forward). Jordan couldn’t do all of those things himself (he wasn’t LeBron). So Pippen and Rodman/Grant (or similar players) were also necessary for him.

[Clippers2020]

Rodman only played 64 games in 1995-96 and the Bulls still won 72 games.
Rodman only played 55 games in 1996-97 and the Bulls still won 69 games.
Rodman played 80 games in 1997-98 and the Bulls won 62 games, because Pippen only play 44 games.

[Wilber85]

What happens next?

What if MJ was a cupcake like Lebron and had Olajuwon, or Miller team up with him

[LakerLegend]

Depends on if Phil Jackson, Pippen and Rodman were still on the Bulls with him. If not, it wouldn't have been pretty.

Jordan is a fraud that was made by Scottie Pippen, right?

I said Jackson, Pippen and Rodman, not just Pippen.

But Jordan was not a fraud. He just needed specific people around him or else his teams couldn’t contend. I believe the most indispensable was Phil Jackson - he was the only person that Jordan would allow to check his ego.

Remove one of any of the main pieces (Jackson/Pippen/Rodman-Grant) and it just didn’t work. He tried winning with only 2 of the 3 and he could never even make the Finals that way, let alone win it all.

This is because MJ was only one 6’5 guard. There was only so much he could do. He needed teammates to cover other responsibilities like low post scoring and rebounding and interior defense and playing point guard (or point forward). Jordan couldn’t do all of those things himself (he wasn’t LeBron). So Pippen and Rodman/Grant (or similar players) were also necessary for him.

lol. You never even watched Jordan play. In his prime he was the best player by a mile.

[NPZ]

I'm a huge MJ fan and even I doubt the Bulls would win in 99. MJ was still probably the best player in the league but the team was in disarray. Now if MJ had left and landed in a good situation I could see him willing the right team to a title. A lot of things would have had to go right however as Duncan and Shaq/Kobe were coming into their own and would have been a huge obstacle for an old MJ to surmount.

Not even all Jordan. Pippen went to the Rockets and they lost fairly easily to the Lakers in the 1st round, 1-3 (5 gms). That was the worst of the late 90s Laker teams to boot. Pip and Chuck/Hak all looked their ages. Pip fumbled the ball at the end of Gm 1 which HOU lost by one point and the Houston Chronicle (iirc) called him "ham hands". They all chose to blame him. By the time it was over, he and Chuck spatted publicly and Scott said he was sorry that Chuck convinced him to come to HOU to play with his "sorry, fat butt". Lakers had Rodman for a cup of coffee in 99 and he had lost a step imo, which was hidden by West wanting to cut him for pulling his delinquent antics. And the Lakers needed a PF bad after trading Campbell and they still cut Dennis.

98 was it. If everything was right and Mike didn't cut his finger and the Bulls didn't have strife w/ the FO and coach, then they coulda made another run, but I agree that they were worn down by 98.

[NPZ]

What happens next?

What if MJ was a cupcake like Lebron and had Olajuwon, or Miller team up with him

MJ had good years with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman and Phil Jackson. It's not like he suffered for a couple of talented teammates during his title years.

[Pennebaker]

Jordan is a fraud that was made by Scottie Pippen, right?

I said Jackson, Pippen and Rodman, not just Pippen.

But Jordan was not a fraud. He just needed specific people around him or else his teams couldn’t contend. I believe the most indispensable was Phil Jackson - he was the only person that Jordan would allow to check his ego.

Remove one of any of the main pieces (Jackson/Pippen/Rodman-Grant) and it just didn’t work. He tried winning with only 2 of the 3 and he could never even make the Finals that way, let alone win it all.

This is because MJ was only one 6’5 guard. There was only so much he could do. He needed teammates to cover other responsibilities like low post scoring and rebounding and interior defense and playing point guard (or point forward). Jordan couldn’t do all of those things himself (he wasn’t LeBron). So Pippen and Rodman/Grant (or similar players) were also necessary for him.

lol. You never even watched Jordan play. In his prime he was the best player by a mile.

I never said he wasn't. But I was the biggest Jordan fan from like 1987 to 2003 (got my first pair of Jordans in 1987). I watched almost every single game of his that was broadcast nationally, even when he was a Wizard.

[Bornstellar]

Then Tim Duncan busts his ass in the finals and makes him retire in 1999

This. That old ass Bulls team wasn't getting entering prime Duncan and end prime Robinson

[LakerLegend]

I said Jackson, Pippen and Rodman, not just Pippen.

But Jordan was not a fraud. He just needed specific people around him or else his teams couldn’t contend. I believe the most indispensable was Phil Jackson - he was the only person that Jordan would allow to check his ego.

Remove one of any of the main pieces (Jackson/Pippen/Rodman-Grant) and it just didn’t work. He tried winning with only 2 of the 3 and he could never even make the Finals that way, let alone win it all.

This is because MJ was only one 6’5 guard. There was only so much he could do. He needed teammates to cover other responsibilities like low post scoring and rebounding and interior defense and playing point guard (or point forward). Jordan couldn’t do all of those things himself (he wasn’t LeBron). So Pippen and Rodman/Grant (or similar players) were also necessary for him.

lol. You never even watched Jordan play. In his prime he was the best player by a mile.

I never said he wasn't. But I was the biggest Jordan fan from like 1987 to 2003 (got my first pair of Jordans in 1987). I watched almost every single game of his that was broadcast nationally, even when he was a Wizard.

Don't make me laugh, a man of that age worshipping LeBron the way you do?

[durden_tyler]

Depends on if Phil Jackson, Pippen and Rodman were still on the Bulls with him. If not, it wouldn't have been pretty.

Jordan is a fraud that was made by Scottie Pippen, right?

I said Jackson, Pippen and Rodman, not just Pippen.

But Jordan was not a fraud. He just needed specific people around him or else his teams couldn’t contend. I believe the most indispensable was Phil Jackson - he was the only person that Jordan would allow to check his ego.

Remove one of any of the main pieces (Jackson/Pippen/Rodman-Grant) and it just didn’t work. He tried winning with only 2 of the 3 and he could never even make the Finals that way, let alone win it all.

This is because MJ was only one 6’5 guard. There was only so much he could do. He needed teammates to cover other responsibilities like low post scoring and rebounding and interior defense and playing point guard (or point forward). Jordan couldn’t do all of those things himself (he wasn’t LeBron). So Pippen and Rodman/Grant (or similar players) were also necessary for him.

Well he's better than LeBron James so easier to see him still leading a contending team even without one of those key pieces.

[Pennebaker]

lol. You never even watched Jordan play. In his prime he was the best player by a mile.

I never said he wasn't. But I was the biggest Jordan fan from like 1987 to 2003 (got my first pair of Jordans in 1987). I watched almost every single game of his that was broadcast nationally, even when he was a Wizard.

Don't make me laugh, a man of that age worshipping LeBron the way you do?

LeBron inspires devotion from the young and old alike, just as many great men have throughout history.

[Jordan Stopper]

Depends on if Phil Jackson, Pippen and Rodman were still on the Bulls with him. If not, it wouldn't have been pretty.

Jordan is a fraud that was made by Scottie Pippen, right?

I said Jackson, Pippen and Rodman, not just Pippen.

But Jordan was not a fraud. He just needed specific people around him or else his teams couldn’t contend. I believe the most indispensable was Phil Jackson - he was the only person that Jordan would allow to check his ego.

Remove one of any of the main pieces (Jackson/Pippen/Rodman-Grant) and it just didn’t work. He tried winning with only 2 of the 3 and he could never even make the Finals that way, let alone win it all.

This is because MJ was only one 6’5 guard. There was only so much he could do. He needed teammates to cover other responsibilities like low post scoring and rebounding and interior defense and playing point guard (or point forward). Jordan couldn’t do all of those things himself (he wasn’t LeBron). So Pippen and Rodman/Grant (or similar players) were also necessary for him.

In how many serious attempts though?
He only had half a season in 95 coming off a year and a half hiatus.
and not only did he not have one of the pieces in 88-99, he had none of them. Pip and Grant were in their second year and he willed them to a conference final in a stacked eastern conference.

[Gooner]

Depends on if Phil Jackson, Pippen and Rodman were still on the Bulls with him. If not, it wouldn't have been pretty.

Jordan is a fraud that was made by Scottie Pippen, right?

I said Jackson, Pippen and Rodman, not just Pippen.

But Jordan was not a fraud. He just needed specific people around him or else his teams couldn’t contend. I believe the most indispensable was Phil Jackson - he was the only person that Jordan would allow to check his ego.

Remove one of any of the main pieces (Jackson/Pippen/Rodman-Grant) and it just didn’t work. He tried winning with only 2 of the 3 and he could never even make the Finals that way, let alone win it all.

This is because MJ was only one 6’5 guard. There was only so much he could do. He needed teammates to cover other responsibilities like low post scoring and rebounding and interior defense and playing point guard (or point forward). Jordan couldn’t do all of those things himself (he wasn’t LeBron). So Pippen and Rodman/Grant (or similar players) were also necessary for him.

I got news for you, this is a team sport. I'm not gonna take anything away from MJ because he played with Horace Grant. There was nothing MJ couldn't do, but he always focused on doing what helped the team win. He could have averaged same number of assists as LeBron, he did it when he was asked to do it, but he was not a stat padder.

[Mulhollanddrive]

LeBron would have 66% less titles without Ray Allen and Kyrie Irving, I think he needed them just as much.

[Gooner]

LeBron would have 66% less titles without Ray Allen and Kyrie Irving, I think he needed them just as much.

Not just them, he had more help than any all time great player.

[WHITE_HOT_HEAT]

They lose and some of the shine of MJ reduces.

[2Mas]

I was too young to understand the business of the NBA then.

But from what i read that Bulls were done regardless.

So i'd say, Jordan goes elsewhere, & the contend. Idk if they win, but they'd contend.

[Durant Durant]

Who is Mike Jordan?

[BigtimeNBAfan]

LeBron would have 66% less titles without Ray Allen and Kyrie Irving, I think he needed them just as much.

Not just them, he had more help than any all time great player.

Durant is an all time great player. Even kawhi had more help last year. Toronto is a 55+ win team without him. They both had better teams than LeBron.

[Mazter]

Phil resigned June 23rd 1998. Without him and the triangle it would have started to fall apart very quickly. Jordan was declining. It wouldn't benefit the team to have a heavy shooting declining star and I don't see him willing to take a seat back in any way. It's like been said, Phil-Jordan-Scottie-Rodman, that's what made the 3-peat. Without any of them, I don't think it would have happened, and certainly not in '99.