LeBron James’ Camp Says Michael Jordan Would Have Had No Rings Without Scottie Pippen

Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. His dominant run during the 1990s as a member of the Chicago Bulls is seen by many as one of the greatest eras of NBA Basketball.

During that time, Jordan and the Bulls had six NBA Finals trips. In every single one, MJ and his squad came out on top. However, according to LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, history would look extremely different if it weren't for Scottie Pippen.

Paul's argument was drawn out on 'Game Over,' his podcast with Max Kellerman. With Gilbert Arenas as their special guest, the trio was discussing the value of championship rings.

According to Arenas, Pippen's six rings were not as valuable as James' or Jordan's.

"I think Scottie's rings are just the same as Michael Jordan's, why not?" Paul asked in response to Arenas' take.

Kellerman was first to reply, saying, "cause he wasn't the best player on the team."

"Yeah, but he was the most impactful player on the team," Paul argued. "If you unplug Scottie Pippen off that team, Jordan is 0-6."

Kellerman replied that no one could win a title without another star, but if Pippen were replaced by one, Jordan could still win.

"You can replace him with another all-star, but just because it's another all-star, it doesn't mean it's Scottie Pippen," Paul replied.

He then highlighted that not every all-star would be willing to take the backseat. Kellerman argued that any all-star who'd have the opportunity to play with Jordan would be willing to take the backseat to him.

Paul responded that not all players would be willing to be the second guy. He highlighted Pippen's skill set and what he brought to the Bulls before saying he disagreed with others who discredited the value of his championships.

Statistically, Pippen's contributions were a major reason for the Bulls' six titles. However, his humility in accepting a secondary role despite his talents might have been an underrated aspect.

Scottie Pippen Was the Second-Best Scorer Behind Michael Jordan

In every single one of the Chicago Bulls' titles, Michael Jordan led the team offensively. In every playoff run in which they emerged as champions, he never averaged fewer than 30 points per game.

His lowest scoring average was in 1996, when he put up 30.7 points per game. Meanwhile, his highest was in 1993, when he averaged a staggering 35.1.

In each of these runs, Pippen was also consistently the team's second-best scorer. In 1993, when MJ posted his highest average, he averaged 20.1 per game. Then, in 1996, Pippen put up 16.9.

His highest postseason average was in the Bulls' first title run in 1991. That year, he averaged 21.6 per game, while MJ led with 31.1. As for his lowest, it was in 1998, the last time they won the title. That year, he averaged 16.8 points behind Jordan's 32.4.

Aside from scoring, though, Pippen contributed in plenty of other ways. Defensively, he was forcing tough shots and turnovers. He was also dishing the rock, grabbing rebounds, and would occasionally take the pressure off MJ.