The possible deals of Michael Jordan

     As you know that Michael Jordan was drafted third overall in the 1984 NBA Draft behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. What some of you know, not everyone knows that there were a number of teams willing to trade up for the chance at getting Michael Jordan. So it could have been possible that Michael Jordan could have played for another team. I know you can probably say that about every player at least most players either in the draft (Joe Montana and Brady were passed by every team at least twice, for Brady five times) and during their career (Kobe Bryant in that special with Shaq said he thought he was the one going to be Traded to Chicago [how fitting] and was looking homes and schools for their kids in Chicago). Among those teams were the Dallas Mavericks (who had the 4th pick and the 15th pick as well), The Seattle Supersonics because why not, and believe or not the Houston Rockets would have had another chance to give Jordan and surprisingly said "no" and when I tell you, you would wonder why yourself. Rod Thorn (the General Manager before Jerry Krause) admitted those offers were tempting but he ended declining all of those offers.  Remember if Patrick Ewing decided to enter the draft in 1984, Michael Jordan would have been a Dallas Maverick because the Bulls actually wanted a center and they probably would have got Sam Bowie because it would have been Olajuwon and Ewing 1 and 2. Honestly, Bowie gives a bad rap because he had multiple injuries that affected his career but he did have some good years with the New Jersey Nets. Also, while on the subject of injuries, I wanted people to stop that Ralph Sampson had a disappointing career. In his first four seasons, he was an All-Star player for those four seasons and he suffered injuries that limited his career and ended any hope of a Bulls-Rockets final or two (that and Jordan's baseball detour) and he still made it to the Hall of Fame. I would have loved to see a final with Jordan go against an in his prime Sampson and Olajuwon. Sampson wasn't the only Rocket center to have his career shorten by injuries (Yao Ming).  Also, surprised the Bulls didn't consider Melvin Turpin who was a center (not a 7-foot guy like Olajuwon, Bowie, and Ewing but still 6'11) though a good thing the Bulls didn't get him because unlike his college teammate Bowie, Turpin was truly a bust. A good thing for the Chicago Bulls because Michael Jordan led them to six titles in eight seasons and rose them from one of the worst teams in the NBA to the best team in the NBA. The 76ers made a few offers. One was giving the Bulls Dr. J (Julius Erving) and another offer was Andrew Toney who was coming off back to back All-Star appearances and their top pick in the draft, their 5th overall pick (so that would have meant no Barkley with Jordan team). Unsure if Dr. J would have been enough (the 76ers would have needed to add either their 5th overall and/or 10th overall pick with Dr. J in my opinion) but Toney and the 5th overall probably would have because the 5th pick was Barkley. Toney was probably a guy who would have had a good career in the NBA if not for injuries. Kinda want to see a scenario where Jordan and Barkley played on the same 76ers team though would that last? Would both guys put up with each other crap for a number of seasons?  The Supersonics offered Jack Sikma, unsure if that would have been enough or that was all the Supersonics was offering. They didn't have a first-round pick in 1984. Then again, the Bulls needed a center, and Sikma was one of the best in the game at the time and is a Hall of Famer. I wonder if Jordan did go to the Supersonics, would they still in Seattle and not in Oklahoma City. I think they would have (sorry OKC fans) especially since they had good teams in the 1990s, that would have been added with Jordan in the lineup. The Dallas Mavericks was the team had could have made it work because they had five first-round picks in 1984 and 1985. The Mavericks got first-round picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers because they were handing them out like candy on Halloween (NBA added a rule because of this). Plus they offered Mark Aguirre who was coming off in his first All-Star season. The Mavs had the capital to make a trade work heck you could make the case the Bulls should have made that trade. So they could have traded Aguirre and three or four first-round picks for Jordan. Plus the Mavs made it the playoff for their first time so adding Jordan would have been rocket fuel for a team on the rise Maybe it would have been too much but anything to get Jordan am I right? However, that wasn't the most intriguing trade possibility for Jordan. Also, it had nothing to do with the Bulls. According to Olajuwon's autobiography, The Portland Trail Blazers offered the Houston Rockets their second overall pick and Clyde Drexler for Ralph Sampson. Yes, granted there's a possibility that the Rockets would have drafted Bowie instead and had the Twin Towers with Olajuwon and Bowie instead of Olajuwon and Sampson plus Drexler. However for some reason the Rockets said "No". Honestly, I'm surprised because they could have had Clyde Drexler a lot earlier than they did (he was on the Rockets in the mid '90s winning the title in 1994) plus it would have been the Phi Slama Jama reunion from University of Houston. The marketing and promotions of the Rockets would have been working overtime if that happen plus can you the tickets sales if they made that trade? Plus they were have challenged the Lakers for the best team of the West (Bowie or no Bowie) if they made that trade. Plus can you imagine if the Rockets made that trade, drafted Bowie, and the Mavericks got Michael Jordan? Holy freaking crap people, Texas could have been the epicenter of the NBA. The Rockets and the Mavericks would have had a rivalry that could have rivaled (some pun intended) any rivalry in the NBA and the Lakers would have been dethroned as the best team of the West. That rivalry could have gone for years. Now if the Rockets made that trade and picked Jordan, that would have made a super team that would have only stopped in retirement from two of those guys. The Rockets could have been a dynasty for over a decade. The problem would have been would there have been room for all three of them? Today's NBA yes, unsure about the NBA back in 1984. Plus both Jordan and Drexler played the same Shooting Guard position though they also split time at Small Forward and Jordan did play at Point Guard for a time so it would have possible. I'm sure whoever was the Rockets coach at the time would have made it work, I know I would have made it work. However, would Jordan have been the main guy for those other teams like he was with the Bulls as a rookie though Orlando Woolridge averaged nearly 23 points a game during that 1984-85 season? With the Supersonics, yes though Tom Chambers averaged 21.5 points per game. With the 76ers, it probably depends who the 76ers would have sent to Chicago. With Toney was still there then not immediately but Toney's injuries and problems with Management, Jordan would have taken over and teamed up with Sir Charles. With Dr. J, he would have gotten opportunities and probably enough to make the All-Star team and win the Rookie of the Year (and possibly went to the finals, the 1984-85 Sixers team went the Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics where they lost. Add Jordan to that team but also subtracted Barkley). With the Mavs, probably shared the ball with Rolando Blackman but he's still the guy and helps the Mavs get passed the Trail Blazers in the first round but probably loses again Magic's Lakers. With the Rockets, who knows but I would have hated to go against a team with Olajuwon, Jordan, and Drexler in their primes. That team would have probably won 75 games in a season. However, would Michael Jordan have been Michael Jordan if he went elsewhere? Probably because he's Michael Jordan. For the Bulls, who knows. Barkley and Pippen would have been a good one-two punch and maybe the Bulls management treated Andrew Toney better than the 76ers did. Also, what would have the Bulls done with those Draft Picks from the Mavs. Though the biggest question is would Air Jordan 1 look good in Supersonic, Maverick, 76ers, or Rocket colors? Probably in the Maverick and 76ers colors. Not sure about gold on those Jordans.