What Would Have Happened if Michael Jordan Joined Another NBA Team After the Bulls?

As a seasoned SEO specialist for Google, it's fascinating to explore the hypothetical scenarios that could have unfolded if Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, had joined another team after leaving the Chicago Bulls. While the reality is that he stayed loyal to the Bulls for much of his career, delving into such 'what if' scenarios can provide valuable insights and spark engaging discussions.

Free Agent for a Few Seasons

Nothing truly significant would have happened if Michael Jordan had stayed a free agent for a few years after his initial year with the Chicago Bulls. As an iconic player, Jordan's immense popularity and marketability ensure that he would have had multiple lucrative offers from other teams. However, his talent and determination led him to remain with the Bulls for the majority of his career, maximizing his earnings and leaving an indelible mark on the NBA.

How Jordan's Free Agency Would Have Played Out

One of the strategic reasons for keeping Jordan as a free agent annually is that it provided the flexibility for him to explore other opportunities if he had wanted to, such as the scenario you've proposed. Additionally, this scheduling allowed him to secure a substantial salary, with the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons featuring contracts in the range of 30 to 33 million dollars, an astronomical figure for that time in the NBA. This level of compensation represents a significant portion of a player's earnings and was unparalleled until Kobe Bryant's peak contract in the 2013-14 season.

Why the Chicago Bulls

It's important to understand why Michael Jordan ultimately chose the Chicago Bulls. In the 1984 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls had the third pick, and despite rumors, Jordan had little choice but to go to the Bulls. If Portland had not selected Sam Bowie with the second pick, Jordan would have played for the Trail Blazers. However, the draft was more complex than it seems, and other factors could have altered the course of events.

The Portland Scenario

At the time, NBA teams were still placing a significant bet on big centers, as evidenced by Portland's selection of Sam Bowie with the second pick. However, what if Portland had not selected Bowie? The Blazers had received the pick in a trade with Indiana in 1981. If that trade had not gone through, Indiana would have kept the first-round pick. Indiana already had two solid centers in that era, and taking Jordan would have made sense given his skill set. It's a hypothetical, of course, but this is the most plausible scenario in which Jordan might have ended up playing for a different team.

Indiana's Trade Decision

The Indiana trade of 1981 is particularly intriguing because it involved sending a first-round pick for a player named Tom Owens. Owens was a decent offensive player but a poor defender and terrible on the boards. His career was short-lived, and his selection by Indiana is now seen as a questionable move. In today's NBA, a trade involving a first-round pick would typically include protection, such as a top-5 or top-10 pick, to ensure the other team receives a more valuable asset.

If the trade had not been done, or if it had included protection, Indiana would have retained the first-round pick. This pick would have been a valuable asset, and considering the legendary status of Michael Jordan, it's highly likely that he would have been the top pick. With this pick, Indiana would have gambled on a player who could have significantly altered the course of the team's history and the NBA as a whole.

Conclusion

In summary, the most likely scenario for Michael Jordan not joining the Chicago Bulls would have been if Indiana still had the first-round pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. This hypothetical situation underscores the immense value of the draft picks in basketball and the strategic decisions made by teams in recent history.