Did Scottie Pippen live up to the monster contract the Rockets gave him?

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Scottie Pippen of the Houston Rockets (R) drives to the basket past Kobe Bryant (C) and Shaquille O’Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers during their 05 February game in Los Angeles, CA. Pippen was traded to the Rockets from the Chicago Bulls in the off-season. The Lakers won their season-opener, 99-91. AFP PHOTO Vince BUCCI (Photo by VINCE BUCCI / AFP) (Photo credit should read VINCE BUCCI/AFP via Getty Images) /

Many Houston Rockets fans believe Scottie Pippen didn’t live up to the massive contract the Rockets signed him to in 1999. Here’s why we should pump the brakes on that premise.

After 11 years of being Michael Jordan‘s running mate with the Chicago Bulls, Scottie Pippen left the Windy City. Pippen was seeking a contract that paid him his worth, after being the sixth-highest paid player on the Bulls during the final championship season. In came the Houston Rockets, who gave him a massive deal worth up to $82 million in 1999.

Pippen had a tumultuous season in Houston, which included a public falling out with Charles Barkley and him nearly getting a DWI charge. The Barkley feud became a national storyline, as Pippen went to ESPN to slander his teammate, who he referred to as being selfish.

Pippen ended up getting that contract because of Barkley being willing to renegotiate his contract with the Rockets, which makes Pippen’s selfish comments interesting. Although the Rockets had one of the best trios in the league in Pippen, Barkley, and Hakeem Olajuwon, they were ultimately bounced in the first round of the 1999 playoffs.

Pippen was later traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and just like that, his Rockets career was over after only eight months.

Next: Waste of money?

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