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by: Chris Maynard
([email protected])
([email protected])
How perspectives often change with time and...uniforms!
Consider the power forward matchup between the Orlando Magic's Horace Grant and the Chicago Bulls' Dennis Rodman entering the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals.
Just a few years before this series, Grant was a hero to Chicago fans, the starting power forward on the team's first three championship teams in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
As for Rodman, he was a hated member of the Bad Boys' Detroit Pistons, with his cheap shot of Scottie Pippen during Game Four of the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals a searing reminder of his boorish brutality.
Now wearing different uniforms and colored goggles and hair, in the case of Grant and Rodman, respectively, Grant was considered the villain, Rodman the antihero prior to the much-anticipated rematch of a second-round series between Chicago and Orlando in 1995.
Drafted out of Clemson University with the 10th overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft, Grant was always linked with his Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen, whom Chicago acquired in that same draft. After Seattle selected Central Arkansas' "Scott" Pippen with the fifth overall pick of the 1987 draft, Chicago selected Virginia's Olden Polynice with the 8th overall pick. The Bulls then traded the rights to Polynice, along with a second-round pick in the 1988 NBA Draft, to Seattle for the rights to Pippen.
Ultimately, the development of Pippen into an All-Star and Grant into the third best player on the Bulls was what keyed Chicago's rise from Michael and the Jordanaires to a championship level team. By their fourth seasons, Pippen and Grant were well-established, major contributors on a squad that would defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in five games during the 1991 NBA Finals.
Of course, being in the shadow of Jordan was not easy for Pippen and especially Grant, who often felt overlooked on those Bulls' teams. While Pippen joined Jordan on All-Star teams and the original Dream Team, Grant was left in the shadows, despite being a terrific player.
At 6'10'', Grant was a rangy forward with an automatic mid-range jumper. Defensively, Grant provided great versatility, especially when Chicago would press, with Grant often releasing and bringing off-ball pressure, leading to turnovers and easy transition baskets for the Bulls.
By the time Jordan retired after the 1993 NBA Finals, Chicago had won three straight titles, with Grant's overlooked block of Kevin Johnson sealing the last championship.
Grant's contributions to the Bulls were recognized during the ensuing 1993-94 season when Pippen, B.J. Armstrong and he were selected as starters on the Eastern Conference's All-Star team. Playing during the last year of his contract, Grant figured to be in store for a big payday, a problem when it came to the Chicago Bulls.
Make the jump to read more about Grant's free-agent decision to leave Chicago and join the rising Orlando Magic.
Consider the power forward matchup between the Orlando Magic's Horace Grant and the Chicago Bulls' Dennis Rodman entering the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals.
Just a few years before this series, Grant was a hero to Chicago fans, the starting power forward on the team's first three championship teams in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
As for Rodman, he was a hated member of the Bad Boys' Detroit Pistons, with his cheap shot of Scottie Pippen during Game Four of the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals a searing reminder of his boorish brutality.
Now wearing different uniforms and colored goggles and hair, in the case of Grant and Rodman, respectively, Grant was considered the villain, Rodman the antihero prior to the much-anticipated rematch of a second-round series between Chicago and Orlando in 1995.
Drafted out of Clemson University with the 10th overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft, Grant was always linked with his Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen, whom Chicago acquired in that same draft. After Seattle selected Central Arkansas' "Scott" Pippen with the fifth overall pick of the 1987 draft, Chicago selected Virginia's Olden Polynice with the 8th overall pick. The Bulls then traded the rights to Polynice, along with a second-round pick in the 1988 NBA Draft, to Seattle for the rights to Pippen.
Ultimately, the development of Pippen into an All-Star and Grant into the third best player on the Bulls was what keyed Chicago's rise from Michael and the Jordanaires to a championship level team. By their fourth seasons, Pippen and Grant were well-established, major contributors on a squad that would defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in five games during the 1991 NBA Finals.
Of course, being in the shadow of Jordan was not easy for Pippen and especially Grant, who often felt overlooked on those Bulls' teams. While Pippen joined Jordan on All-Star teams and the original Dream Team, Grant was left in the shadows, despite being a terrific player.
At 6'10'', Grant was a rangy forward with an automatic mid-range jumper. Defensively, Grant provided great versatility, especially when Chicago would press, with Grant often releasing and bringing off-ball pressure, leading to turnovers and easy transition baskets for the Bulls.
By the time Jordan retired after the 1993 NBA Finals, Chicago had won three straight titles, with Grant's overlooked block of Kevin Johnson sealing the last championship.
Grant's contributions to the Bulls were recognized during the ensuing 1993-94 season when Pippen, B.J. Armstrong and he were selected as starters on the Eastern Conference's All-Star team. Playing during the last year of his contract, Grant figured to be in store for a big payday, a problem when it came to the Chicago Bulls.
Make the jump to read more about Grant's free-agent decision to leave Chicago and join the rising Orlando Magic.
Historically, the Bulls were a tough franchise to deal with in terms of getting paid.
Despite being the best player in the game, Jordan was vastly underpaid, until after the 1996 and 1997 seasons, when he signed respective one-year contracts for $30 million and $36 million.
Seeking financial security, Pippen signed a contract during the 1990-91 season that did not age well with rising player contracts, with the Bulls refusing to renegotiate, leading to much acrimony and the eventual end of the dynasty following Chicago's last title in 1998. Chicago was just not a team to redo deals, even if Pippen was the exception to the rule, a player who outplayed his contract, helping the Bulls win six titles during that time frame.
With Grant, the Bulls did not seem to be in a hurry to resign the power forward, still in his prime. In fairness to Chicago, Grant did not seem all that urgent in resigning with Chicago, feeling that the team had tried to replace him with Stacey King earlier in his career, and seeking more opportunity to showcase his game. At the very least Grant wanted to explore the free agent market.
Ultimately, Chicago made a competitive offer to Grant, who decided to sign with Orlando in September of 1994, with his first contract voided before a second contract was agreed to, a five-year deal worth $17 million.
Grant has explained that the decision to leave Chicago, especially Pippen, was not easy, ultimately calling it a business decision based upon the fact that Orlando had O'Neal and Hardaway entering their third and second seasons, respectively.
In Orlando, Grant seemed to be the missing veteran piece, rounding out a young starting lineup that featured Nick Anderson at shooting guard and Dennis Scott at the small forward.
Always underappreciated in Chicago, Grant's arrival in Orlando was just what the Magic needed. Orlando became the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, waiting for the Bulls in the second round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs.
To Bulls' fans that series, Grant seemed a different player, someone who had gone Hollywood, or at least Disney World, with the popular Magic.
Of course, Chicago failed to fill Grant's departure that year, signing a stopgap in Larry Krystowiak while trying to incorporate young power forwards Corie Blount and Dickey Simpkins, first round draft picks in the 1994 and 1995 NBA Drafts. Ultimately, Chicago would start Toni Kukoc at power forward during the series with the Magic. While a great player, Kukoc was more of a finesse player than a power forward who liked to bang down low.
Ultimately, Grant seemed to be the difference during Orlando's six-game victory against the Bulls, with his new teammates recognizing it. After Orlando stunned Chicago in Game Six, Magic players hoisted Grant on their shoulders. Reveling in the moment, Grant swung his fists and shouted out in excitement as if the Magic had won the NBA Finals, which the team would lose to Houston in four games that season.
In the moment Grant had seemed to have gotten the last laugh, coming back to ruin Jordan's return and end Chicago's season.
However, the Bulls would not forget the humiliation, with Jordan rededicating himself that summer and the organization acquiring Rodman, the missing piece since Grant had left.
The 1996 Eastern Conference Finals would be a much more humbling experience for Grant and a franchise-changing series for the Magic.
Dealing with a shoulder injury, Grant would watch the last two games in a suit on the bench as Rodman got under O'Neal's skin and the Bulls humbled the Magic.
By this time, Grant was just another opponent, another victim of a Chicago juggernaut one step closer to reclaiming an NBA championship.
Still, without Grant, Chicago would not have won three straight titles from 1991-1993.
In a different world, Grant very well could have started on Chicago's last three title teams, forming a Big Three with Jordan and Pippen, the only players on all six of the Bulls' title teams.
Of course, reality did not play out that way for Grant, who would eventually reunite with Phil Jackson and win a fourth title with the 2001 Lakers.
Despite being the best player in the game, Jordan was vastly underpaid, until after the 1996 and 1997 seasons, when he signed respective one-year contracts for $30 million and $36 million.
Seeking financial security, Pippen signed a contract during the 1990-91 season that did not age well with rising player contracts, with the Bulls refusing to renegotiate, leading to much acrimony and the eventual end of the dynasty following Chicago's last title in 1998. Chicago was just not a team to redo deals, even if Pippen was the exception to the rule, a player who outplayed his contract, helping the Bulls win six titles during that time frame.
With Grant, the Bulls did not seem to be in a hurry to resign the power forward, still in his prime. In fairness to Chicago, Grant did not seem all that urgent in resigning with Chicago, feeling that the team had tried to replace him with Stacey King earlier in his career, and seeking more opportunity to showcase his game. At the very least Grant wanted to explore the free agent market.
Ultimately, Chicago made a competitive offer to Grant, who decided to sign with Orlando in September of 1994, with his first contract voided before a second contract was agreed to, a five-year deal worth $17 million.
Grant has explained that the decision to leave Chicago, especially Pippen, was not easy, ultimately calling it a business decision based upon the fact that Orlando had O'Neal and Hardaway entering their third and second seasons, respectively.
In Orlando, Grant seemed to be the missing veteran piece, rounding out a young starting lineup that featured Nick Anderson at shooting guard and Dennis Scott at the small forward.
Always underappreciated in Chicago, Grant's arrival in Orlando was just what the Magic needed. Orlando became the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, waiting for the Bulls in the second round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs.
To Bulls' fans that series, Grant seemed a different player, someone who had gone Hollywood, or at least Disney World, with the popular Magic.
Of course, Chicago failed to fill Grant's departure that year, signing a stopgap in Larry Krystowiak while trying to incorporate young power forwards Corie Blount and Dickey Simpkins, first round draft picks in the 1994 and 1995 NBA Drafts. Ultimately, Chicago would start Toni Kukoc at power forward during the series with the Magic. While a great player, Kukoc was more of a finesse player than a power forward who liked to bang down low.
Ultimately, Grant seemed to be the difference during Orlando's six-game victory against the Bulls, with his new teammates recognizing it. After Orlando stunned Chicago in Game Six, Magic players hoisted Grant on their shoulders. Reveling in the moment, Grant swung his fists and shouted out in excitement as if the Magic had won the NBA Finals, which the team would lose to Houston in four games that season.
In the moment Grant had seemed to have gotten the last laugh, coming back to ruin Jordan's return and end Chicago's season.
However, the Bulls would not forget the humiliation, with Jordan rededicating himself that summer and the organization acquiring Rodman, the missing piece since Grant had left.
The 1996 Eastern Conference Finals would be a much more humbling experience for Grant and a franchise-changing series for the Magic.
Dealing with a shoulder injury, Grant would watch the last two games in a suit on the bench as Rodman got under O'Neal's skin and the Bulls humbled the Magic.
By this time, Grant was just another opponent, another victim of a Chicago juggernaut one step closer to reclaiming an NBA championship.
Still, without Grant, Chicago would not have won three straight titles from 1991-1993.
In a different world, Grant very well could have started on Chicago's last three title teams, forming a Big Three with Jordan and Pippen, the only players on all six of the Bulls' title teams.
Of course, reality did not play out that way for Grant, who would eventually reunite with Phil Jackson and win a fourth title with the 2001 Lakers.
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