Pippen was very frustrated.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't achieve the sense of belonging that Roger enjoyed.
In Chicago, he won three championships with Michael Jordan and established the first dynasty in modern basketball history. By rights, the Chicagoans should erect a statue for him.
And yet? He got caught up in trade rumors more than once, even though he had a low-paying contract.
In Atlanta, he won two championships with Roger, creating a miracle in Georgia, transforming a baseball city into a basketball city.
But now, once again, he's caught in trade rumors.
This seems to be the sorrow of being the number two or three.
Paul Gasol was an irreplaceable contributor during the Lakers' two-title run, and the gentle Spaniard never had disputes with the management, and had a great personal relationship with Kobe. But whenever star trades came up, the Spaniards were surely the first chips put on the shelf.
