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Scottie Pippen has Kyrie Irving’s back, “I am a very strong supporter of what he’s doing”

Chicago Fire - Season 3

Chicago Fire - Season 3

NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Scottie Pippen is a Hall of Famer, six-time NBA champion, 10-time All-Defensive team, 7 time All-NBA, and one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history — and he’s often undervalued.

Too many people think of him as just Michael Jordan’s sidekick, not the guy MJ doesn’t win those titles without.

Which may be why Pippen, appearing on ESPN’s “The Jump,” had Kyrie Irving’s back in his demand for a trade out of Cleveland.

“I am a very strong supporter of what he’s doing because I’ve watched what has happened to him in his career and how things went for him in Cleveland, and I think he’s at a superstar level now that he can control his own destiny. A lot of players in our game have that opportunity and they don’t take advantage of it. I think it’s the perfect timing, Cleveland didn’t win a championship, they were right there, but there’s been a lot of things going on within that organization. LeBron doesn’t give those guys the security that they need, that the superstar is gonna be there and he’s gonna support us and I see Kyrie looking at the opportunity to run before LeBron runs, because there’s a lot of chatter out there that LeBron’s coming to play with the Lakers.”

I believe Pippen starts to get at the heart of the matter. It’s not as much Kyrie Irving letting LeBron James “son” him or sharing the shots — it’s that Irving sees LeBron not being loyal to the Cavaliers and he decided to take matters into his own hands first. He has tried to control his own destiny (whether he should have or not is another discussion).

Pippen never faced a situation quite like this because Jordan was never leaving the Bulls in his prime (and I refuse to acknowledge the Wizards years as part of this). He admitted he wouldn’t have as many rings without Jordan, but more than most he gets why Irving may want out of the shadow of one of the greatest players ever.