Chicago Bulls legend and NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen knows a thing or two about being a sidekick. After all, he played second fiddle to Michael Jordan for the entirety of the Bulls' dynasty during the 1990s. And with the Los Angeles Lakers hoping to build a super team of their own in the modern era, Pippen does not believe that Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard would go to a team where he might be the third option (behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis).
Appearing on ESPN's “The Jump,” Pippen explained that he felt Leonard had too much “pride” to join a team that already had LeBron and AD:
“I don't even think he's going to give them a look. You got AD there, you got LeBron, and you have a guy who's rising as a top player in our game. I don't see him taking a back seat to those two superstars. It's an opportunity to win easily but I think he has too much pride.”
You can view the full clip below:
Leonard has been one of the best players in the league for the past few years, but he really exploded into superstardom in helping lead the Raptors to the first NBA championship in franchise history.
Simultaneously, Leonard has been the Finals MVP in each of his two championship victories. Both titles may be determinants in breaking up dynasties. The “Big Three” Heat era ended after Leonard's Spurs beat them in 2014, and the Golden State Warriors current run could be at an end.
So Pippen may very well have a point in assessing Leonard's “pride.”
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