Most NBA fans think superteams are a modern day phenomenon.
But before LeBron James‘ Miami Heat ‘Big Three’ and Kevin Durant‘s Golden State Warriors ‘Big Four’, Michael Jordan almost formed The Association’s first real Avengers-esque squad.
Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman starred for the dynastic Bulls of the ’90sGetty
The year was 1990 and the Boston Celtics were reportedly looking towards the future.
Franchise icon Larry Bird had re-energised the league and the organization in the 1980s en route to three titles, two Finals MVPs and three MVPs.
But the C’s last championship came in 1986 and Boston’s management felt changes were needed to improve their postseason performances.
The 1987–88 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird’s career, but the following year his campaign ended after six games when he had bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels.
‘The Hick from French Lick’ was still one of the best players in the league in 1989-90, but at 33-years-old he wasn’t getting any younger and the Celtics needed a succession plan.
The trade rumor mill went into overdrive at the time, and reports in the spring of 1990 had the Chicago Bulls trading younger stars Scottie Pippen, B.J. Armstrong, and Stacey King for ‘Larry Legend’.
A young Michael Jordan deemed the rumors idiotic.
However, even His Airness admitted that if there was an opportunity for the Bulls to land Bird via a trade, then he’d willing to take a salary cut to make it happen.
“If they want to trade him, we’ll take him,” Jordan said via the San Francisco Examiner.
“The Celtics would be crazy to trade Larry Bird. He is still one of the best players in the league, as far as I’m concerned, and I would love to see him on the Bulls. I would love to play beside him.
“I’d take a cut…I make enough money on outside stuff.”
Celtics legend Bird could have ended up with MJ on the BullsGetty
Jordan said he was willing to take a salary cut to make the Bird trade happenAFP
The blockbuster trade ultimately failed to materialize as former Celtics team president Red Auerbach decided to keep the likes of Bird and Kevin McHale in the famous green and white.
Bird briefly entertained a move to his hometown Indiana Pacers, who would have inherited his contract and had to pay $6 million for his services in the ’94 season.
However, he never openly flirted with the idea of joining MJ.
Bird always professed his loyalty, at least publicly, to the team that drafted him 6th overall in the 1978 NBA Draft.
“I can’t see (a trade) ever happening, but if it does, I’ll make the best of it,” Bird said in June 1990.
“I want to finish my career there. I’m a Celtic. I’ll be a Celtic for life,” Bird added.
In the end it turned out to be a savvy decision by the Bulls not to pursue Bird more forcefully.
They won three straight NBA championships between 1991-1993. Pippen, who likely would have been part of a trade for Bird, was integral to each and the perfect foil to Jordan’s greatness.
Any trade involving Bird would likely have had to include Pippen (right)Getty
He was the Robin to MJ’s Batman during the entirety of the Bulls’ dynasty, including their second three-peat in 1996, 1997, and 1998.
Pippen ended his career with six world championship rings – far more than he ever would have won on an ageing Celtics roster.
Bird, meanwhile, eventually got the chance to play with Jordan.
The pair suited up for Team USA at the 1992 Olympics in Spain, although co-captain Bird only played a bit part role.
Bird’s longtime Lakers rival Magic Johnson was also on the iconic ‘Dream Team’ that captured a gold medal and, more importantly, the hearts of basketball fans around the world.
Bird retired later that summer, and in doing so passed the torch to Jordan to take the NBA to even greater heights.
