Pippen says Carmelo Anthony would be a "huge gamble"
With the Chicago Bulls being mentioned as a possible destination for Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, a former Bulls star is giving his two cents on the matter.
Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, who played alongside Michael Jordan for all six of the Bulls’ championships in the 90s, said acquiring Anthony would be a “huge gamble” for his former team.
He added that he would not be willing to trade promising Bulls forward Joakim Noah for the high-scoring Anthony.
“If I'm a GM, I don't know that I could pull the trigger based on Carmelo's ... sort of what he's doing now,” Pippen said Tuesday on an ESPN radio program. “Based on his reputation, I'd probably have to stay with Joakim because you know that this kid is
going to come out and play night in and night out.”
The Nuggets have already offered Anthony a three-year extension on his contract worth $65 million. Not only does it remain unsigned but Anthony has reportedly asked the Nuggets for a trade. Because of this, the Nuggets have since become willing to hear offers
from other teams.
Anthony’s attitude during the entire process has been off-putting for Pippen. He said he wouldn’t trust Anthony’s long-term commitment to the Bulls organization.
“You don't want to lose a guy like Joakim and have a guy like Carmelo come here,” said Pippen. “Hey, he might not like it here. Next year he may be wanting to get out of here and go play somewhere else.”
Dennis Rodman, Pippen’s ex-team mate on the Bulls, was known as a scrappy player who made up for what he lacked in grace with pure production. Pippen sees some of that same fight in Noah.
“He's not the most attractive player in terms of [style] out on the basketball court,” said Pippen of Noah. “He gets the job done, and he plays at a very high level. You can call him a poor man's Dennis Rodman. He's a presence out on the basketball court."
The 26-year-old Anthony will be entering his eighth season in the NBA, having played every season in a Nuggets uniform. He boasts career averages of 24.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.
Noah is 25 years old and will be going into his fourth season in the NBA. Although his statistics aren’t stellar, he is known as a hard-worker who will fight until the end. Last year, Noah averaged 10.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.
Other teams who are reportedly interested in acquiring Anthony include the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, the Houston Rockets, the L.A. Clippers, and the Golden State Warriors.
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