An ALL-TIME WHAT IF STORY: Jalen Rose Said In 1994 The Bulls Were Going To Draft Him And Trade Scottie Pippen For Shawn Kemp

Feel like this does not get brought up nearly enough. Sure there were always rumors of the Bulls looking to trade Scottie Pippen because he wanted to be more of an option and outside of Jordan's shadow. But imagine how different our lives would be if Shawn Kemp moved to Chicago in 94. We never would have had the GP/Kemp NBA Jam teams that we always had. We never would have had the Sonics vs the Bulls in the NBA Finals. Shawn Kemp was so fucking good. 

Going even further down the road, there's no way Dennis Rodman becomes a Bull if this happens. Why would they take on Rodman when they already have Kemp? Rodman was traded before the 1995-96 season because of Horace Grant leaving. Yeah, that just becomes Shawn Kemp, who was better than Rodman. The Sonics meanwhile are rocking a somewhat modern lineup with a bunch of wings. They'd have GP, Scottie, Schrempf, Kendall Gil and Sam Perkins. That's actually a hell of a defensive team. Imagine trying to score in the backcourt against GP and Scottie. 

Then go to the 94 Draft where the Bulls/Sonics were going to swap pick 11 and 21. If Jalen Rose is right in that the Bulls were going to take him to replace Scottie with pick 11, that changes so much. Look at who they drafted to begin with. The Sonics took Carlos Rogers at 11 and the Bulls took Dickey Simpkins at 21. Yeah, needless to say Jalen Rose would be an upgrade over either of them (he went 13 to Denver). 

Like Jalen Rose says - his entire career is changed. He doesn't bounce all around, instead he gets to play alongside Kemp and Jordan as the third option while playing under Phil Jackson. That likely works! Remember, Rose was pretty fucking good coming out of Michigan. He would have fit perfectly in that system as the third option. He doesn't end up as a Pacer from 96-02, completely changing that outcome including making the Finals with Reggie Miller. 

There may not be a bigger what-if (other than Jordan not 'leaving' to play baseball) in the 90s than this. It had all the big names from that time. Two of the best teams. Just completely changing everything about 90s basketball as we know it.