ESPN the Weekend: Scottie Pippen

Former Chicago Bulls star and Hall of Fame finalist Scottie Pippen took time during ESPN the Weekend at Disney's Hollywood Studios to talk with me.

BR: What have you been up to lately?

SP: I've really just been enjoying my retired life. I live down in Fort Lauderdale and spend a lot of time with my kids down there with their different basketball leagues. But it's been a lot of fun. I do a lot of traveling abroad for the NBA, going to Asia and doing some trips there, and Russia. So that's pretty much been the life of Scottie Pippen over the last four or five years.

BR: The 1992 Dream Team is expected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. Earlier this month, you were named a finalist as an individual. How special is it to possibly be honored for both in the same year?

SP: It would be wonderful, I guess, taking it all out in one trip. I wish it was more spread out. But to have the opportunity to go into the Hall of Fame as an individual or with a group or however it comes, it's one of the greatest honors that any athlete can achieve. I really look forward to it. I look forward to being a part of the induction for the Dream Team as well as for me as an individual. It's definitely the pinnacle of my career.

BR: A few of your teammates, including Steve Kerr and Michael Jordan, have had success in front office positions. Is that something you see yourself doing in the future?

SP: I would like to land a job like that. It's a great position. Those guys [Kerr and Jordan], as well as John Paxson, another one of my teammates, they are doing well. They have managed to land with some good franchises. They have the opportunity to really pull those teams together and I wish them well. So yes I would like to be in one of those seats one day.

BR: There has been talk of a lockout after next season. Having experienced the lockout as a player in the late 90s, do you think there is a likely possibility of a lockout in 2011?

SP: I'm sure it is a likely possibility. I mean the two sides have never been able to agree much on a whole lot and I just think that the negotiation in professional sports will continue to get tougher. They're both going to hold strong, speaking of the player's union as well as the owners. They're going to tug a war here and there but ultimately both sides have to let up a little bit to come to some kind of agreement. You want to hope that there's not a lockout because you want to continue to build the equity and build your fan base, which took a little hit back in the late 90s when we had negotiation then. It's talk and you want to see the athletes back on the floor, but on the other hand, being a former player, you want to make sure that they get the best deal.

BR: There is expected to be a big free agent season this summer. What is your opinion on high-profile players like Cleveland's LeBron James and Miami's Dwayne Wade potentially leaving teams they were drafted by?

SP: I think it's up to the players. For me, I'd like to see LeBron stay with the Cavs. He's definitely brought a lot of equity to their franchise and he has a huge fan base. I think that he will ultimately stay there. I think that's the best place for him and I think he realizes that team has been assembled to help him win a championship. They have a good team now, so there are no excuses now to turn your back and walk out the door. But I think the free agent market has always been a great way for teams that are not top teams to work their way up. But on the other hand, the players still have to go there and make that team better. It's not just about them going there and picking up all the money off the salary cap. Ultimately you want to see the team improve as well so you don't want to go after the people in free agency and lose all your salary because then you basically have a one man show.

BR: If you had your choice of one player that you could build your franchise around, who would it be?

SP: That's a difficult question. If you want to ask me that then I'm going to probably go after the best player in the game and that's going to be LeBron James. But I don't know if LeBron James fits with the Chicago Bulls. I don't know if I want Derrick Rose to give the ball up and let LeBron run the show. There are some great free agents out there. For me, you have to have the right fit. You just can't go and get the best player. You got to have chemistry in this game.

BR: How special of a player can Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard be?

SP: He's a very special player but I don't think he's going to win a championship until he gets another superstar to play alongside of him. A guy that's very consistent and has that drive, that's what it's going to take. I don't think that he can carry a team to a championship. He's not that great of a scorer, he's not a good shooter and he's not a good foul shooter. So in the latter parts of the game, as big as he is and as much athleticism as he has, that becomes very small when the game gets into crunch time. He's not the type of player that can dominate a game in the fourth quarter.