Pippen Talks Trade; Is He Only Kidding?

SEATTLE — If Scottie Pippen’s trade demands are a joke, only his coach seemed to get it.

Pippen, who is sidelined by a foot injury, told the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, Ill., that he wanted to leave the Chicago Bulls.

“I ain’t coming back,” Pippen told the newspaper at halftime of the Bulls’ game at Sacramento on Sunday. “I want to be traded. I want to go to Phoenix or L.A.”

Coach Phil Jackson said he is not taking his star forward’s threat too seriously.

“I think he’s just joking the press, personally, and throwing a barb out there,” Jackson said Monday.

Pippen wouldn’t comment on the article, saying only “I feel fine” as he got on the team bus.

“He hasn’t said anything to me,” General Manager Jerry Krause told the Daily Herald. “We spent a lot of money to bring everybody back and try to win a championship. I don’t know anything about it.”