ducks
12-12-2003, 04:25 PM
Pippen will have surgery, not retirement party
By NANCY ARMOUR, AP Sports Writer
December 11, 2003
AP - Dec 11, 6:20 pm EST
More Photos
DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Hold off on those retirement gifts for Scottie Pippen.
The Chicago Bulls forward will have surgery on his left knee Friday with the intention of playing again. There's no timetable for his return, but the forward was back less than a month after having a similar procedure last spring.
``Our intention is to see if we can get him healthy to come back and play,'' Bulls general manager John Paxson said Thursday after the team's practice. ``This is a step-by-step process, and that's how I'm looking at it. I'm not looking at it in a negative way or in a panicked way at all.''
Pippen has missed eight of the team's first 20 games, all but one because of pain and swelling in his left knee. He'll miss his fourth straight game Friday, when the Bulls travel to Milwaukee.
The frustration of not being able to play is clearly getting to Pippen, who raised the possibility of retirement Wednesday when asked when he might return.
``I question myself whether or not I can play another year. Or this year,'' he said Wednesday. ``I just have to wait and see.''
But Paxson said Thursday that he and Pippen have talked often, and retirement has never come up. Pippen wasn't available for comment Thursday.
``That kind of came out of the blue,'' said Paxson, a teammate of Pippen's on the Bulls' first three-peat. ``When you're a competitive athlete like Scottie is, there's probably a number of emotions that have gone through his mind. I think it stems from the fact he does want to be out on the floor.
``We've talked enough that I know he wants to play,'' Paxson added. ``He thinks he can help us. I know he can help us. I'm very confident he wants to play again.''
The 38-year-old Pippen missed 17 games last season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He returned for Portland's final two regular-season games and played 32 minutes in the playoff series opener. He missed three games in the playoffs because of swelling in the knee, but returned for the final three games in the Trail Blazers' first-round loss to Dallas.
Paxson was well aware of Pippen's health problems -- Friday's surgery will be his 10th overall -- when he signed him to a two-year, $10 million contract last summer. Pippen passed a physical, and he and Paxson both hoped he'd be able to play 60 games as he did each of the last three seasons.
The Bulls were careful with Pippen's minutes, limiting him to 20-25 a game, and he rarely practiced. But he has had repeated swelling in his knee, and already has had it drained three times.
``I still think in the role we envisioned him -- playing that 20 minutes a game, 25 minutes -- that's still something I think is attainable unless you go in and there's something severely wrong with (the knee),'' Paxson said. ``But we're not anticipating that.''
Despite the latest health problems, Paxson said he doesn't regret bringing Pippen back to Chicago. A cornerstone of the Bulls' championship run, Pippen was voted one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996. He's a seven-time All-Star in 16 seasons, and is one of the best defensive players ever.
But signing Pippen wasn't a nostalgic move. Paxson thought the move would make the Bulls better, and he also thought the Baby Bulls would benefit from Pippen's leadership and experience.
Pippen is averaging 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.25 steals in 22.3 minutes this year. His four steals against Minnesota on Nov. 13 are tied for the team lead.link (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpZmFlcXBpBF9TAzk1ODYxOTQ4BHNlYwN0 aA--?slug=ap-bulls-pippen&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By NANCY ARMOUR, AP Sports Writer
December 11, 2003
AP - Dec 11, 6:20 pm EST
More Photos
DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Hold off on those retirement gifts for Scottie Pippen.
The Chicago Bulls forward will have surgery on his left knee Friday with the intention of playing again. There's no timetable for his return, but the forward was back less than a month after having a similar procedure last spring.
``Our intention is to see if we can get him healthy to come back and play,'' Bulls general manager John Paxson said Thursday after the team's practice. ``This is a step-by-step process, and that's how I'm looking at it. I'm not looking at it in a negative way or in a panicked way at all.''
Pippen has missed eight of the team's first 20 games, all but one because of pain and swelling in his left knee. He'll miss his fourth straight game Friday, when the Bulls travel to Milwaukee.
The frustration of not being able to play is clearly getting to Pippen, who raised the possibility of retirement Wednesday when asked when he might return.
``I question myself whether or not I can play another year. Or this year,'' he said Wednesday. ``I just have to wait and see.''
But Paxson said Thursday that he and Pippen have talked often, and retirement has never come up. Pippen wasn't available for comment Thursday.
``That kind of came out of the blue,'' said Paxson, a teammate of Pippen's on the Bulls' first three-peat. ``When you're a competitive athlete like Scottie is, there's probably a number of emotions that have gone through his mind. I think it stems from the fact he does want to be out on the floor.
``We've talked enough that I know he wants to play,'' Paxson added. ``He thinks he can help us. I know he can help us. I'm very confident he wants to play again.''
The 38-year-old Pippen missed 17 games last season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He returned for Portland's final two regular-season games and played 32 minutes in the playoff series opener. He missed three games in the playoffs because of swelling in the knee, but returned for the final three games in the Trail Blazers' first-round loss to Dallas.
Paxson was well aware of Pippen's health problems -- Friday's surgery will be his 10th overall -- when he signed him to a two-year, $10 million contract last summer. Pippen passed a physical, and he and Paxson both hoped he'd be able to play 60 games as he did each of the last three seasons.
The Bulls were careful with Pippen's minutes, limiting him to 20-25 a game, and he rarely practiced. But he has had repeated swelling in his knee, and already has had it drained three times.
``I still think in the role we envisioned him -- playing that 20 minutes a game, 25 minutes -- that's still something I think is attainable unless you go in and there's something severely wrong with (the knee),'' Paxson said. ``But we're not anticipating that.''
Despite the latest health problems, Paxson said he doesn't regret bringing Pippen back to Chicago. A cornerstone of the Bulls' championship run, Pippen was voted one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996. He's a seven-time All-Star in 16 seasons, and is one of the best defensive players ever.
But signing Pippen wasn't a nostalgic move. Paxson thought the move would make the Bulls better, and he also thought the Baby Bulls would benefit from Pippen's leadership and experience.
Pippen is averaging 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.25 steals in 22.3 minutes this year. His four steals against Minnesota on Nov. 13 are tied for the team lead.link (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpZmFlcXBpBF9TAzk1ODYxOTQ4BHNlYwN0 aA--?slug=ap-bulls-pippen&prov=ap&type=lgns)