Pippen Wants to Play for Heat

Today's Chicago Tribune reported that the Miami Heat are the team Scottie Pippen would like to play for.

Here is an excerpt from Sam Smith's article in today's Tribune:

Pippen, never shy about stating his opinions and intentions, made it clear he'd love to play for the Miami Heat.

"I'm looking at teams like Miami, Cleveland, Dallas, San Antonio. I feel there are a few teams I could help," Pippen said.

Sitting at a nearby table later on, Kobe Bryant said he'd call Pippen and ask him to consider the Lakers.

"I'd like an opportunity to help a team contend for a championship," Pippen said. "I'd like to go play with Shaq. That would be the ideal place. He's probably the best in the game, he and Dwyane Wade. Teams in the East still are bunched up, but [the Pistons and the Heat] will be fighting it out in the Eastern finals."

Though O'Neal said he hadn't heard about any Pippen interest in Miami, Wade was excited.

"I'm already playing with [Gary] Payton and Shaq; Scottie and Michael are two guys I used to play with on video games," Wade said. "To add Scottie to the mix, that would be crazy. It would be a dream."

It seems like the Chicago Bulls are not one of the teams Pippen is looking at. He wants to play for a team that is a title contender and not a team that could be a first round exit in the playoffs. Pippen said, "I don't see anyone really a threat to them." The "them" is his quote was probably the Miami Heat. Pippen said, "the Bulls still are lacking that inside presence." The Heat, unlike the Bulls, do have an inside presence: Shaquille O'Neal. Although the Heat are currently the eight seed in the Eastern conference, Pippen probably thinks they are one key player away from being a serious contender and he is hoping he is that key player. However, just because he wants to play for the teams he mentioned doesn't mean they will sign him. The Bulls are probably still a possible destination for Pippen, but it is unlikely that the Bulls will be able to sign him if Miami, Cleveland, Dallas, or San Antonio offers him a contract. The Bulls and the rest of the NBA will get a good look at Pippen tonight when he participates in the "Shooting Stars" contest during the All-Star weekend festivities.