Kukoc in place of Pippen in 1994

[aceman]

Replace Pippen with peak Kukoc as point forward & team leader in 1994 - does team still make playoffs?
Kukoc took over Bulls in 1999 but was past peak & team lacked talent. 1994 boasted efficient players like Grant, Armstrong, Longley & Kerr.

[3ball]

In 1989, the 47-win bulls would've missed the 45-win playoff cut without Jordan's 33/8/8 (lottery)

But with MJ, the lottery cast was ECF veterans and within 1 year of starting a 3-peat

Only MJ won by building a lottery cast to champion and single-digit rookies to all-stars

[RRR3]

In 1989, the 47-win bulls would've missed the 45-win playoff cut without Jordan's 33/8/8 (lottery)

But with MJ, the lottery cast was ECF veterans and within 1 year of starting a 3-peat

Only MJ won by building a lottery cast to champion and single-digit rookies to all-stars
That literally has nothing to do with what OP asked you obsessed retard.

[3ball]

That literally has nothing to do with what OP asked you obsessed retard.

Take the best player off a 2nd round team and they're lottery

Take the best player off a 3-peat team and they're 2nd round

Not sure it's worth a thread

[aceman]

Take the best player off a 2nd round team and they're lottery

Take the best player off a 3-peat team and they're 2nd round

Not sure it's worth a thread

Doesn't have anything to do with MJ.
Offensively Kukoc brings a lot of the attributes of Pippen - pass first but also good scoring option. Kukoc was main guy in 1999 but 1994 side better with some nice open shooters for Toni to find. I think trio of Toni, Horace Grant & Armstrong would make nucleus of a solid side.

[3ball]

Doesn't have anything to do with MJ.
Offensively Kukoc brings a lot of the attributes of Pippen - pass first but also good scoring option. Kukoc was main guy in 1999 but 1994 side better with some nice open shooters for Toni to find. I think trio of Toni, Horace Grant & Armstrong would make nucleus of a solid side.

They could win 50 maybe... Without Pippen, they could sign some better rim protection or something

Probably lose in 1st round to Cleveland, although Cleveland was literally missing their 3 best players in that series, so Kukoc might've been able to take em'...

[97 bulls]

They probably win 45 games. Assuming Kukoc doesnt miss a game.

[DoctorP]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUTfJlezXPY

Kukoc deadly

#millersacunt

[Roundball_Rock]

Kukoc started 8 games in 94'--the Bulls went 2-6 in those games. As a starter he was 12/4/4 on 34% (no typo--34%). As a reserve he was 11/4/3 on 45%. He wasn't ready to carry a bigger offensive load as a rookie.

As a #2 option on a playoff team, he was 14/4/5 on 45% with MJ for 34 games in 98' and 16/6/5 on 50% with Pippen for 64 games in 95'. It is interesting how much better he was in 95' than in 98' in the same role.

He put up solid numbers in 99' but it was on a terrible team so we can't glean much from it. His record as a #2 in 95' and 98' gives us more info, but the verdict is mixed. 95' is a creditable performance but not 98' but the entire team's efficiency suffered without Pippen there guiding the offense.

[aceman]

In 1994 trio of Horace, BJ & Toni went 4-6 without Pippen.
In saying that Toni's NBA career was only two games old & 8 of the matches were on the road.
Toni averaged 16 ppg & 4 assists but shot poorly.
BJ had 18.5 ppg & Horace 15.5 ppg.

[Round Mound]

Kukoc was a fine player a good 3rd option level player but he wasn't a dominant: offensive player or a dominant: defensive player. Pippen was a dominant: defensive player, a very good: offensive player (especially playmaking wise-handling-passing) a good scorer: (not great or dominant but good) and a dominant: driver, finisher, slasher, coast to coast player.

Kukoc ouldn't lead a team like Jordan or Pippen as a 1st option. He isn't in their level. He was a a good playmaker-handler-passer (especially for his size at 6'11 yet very thin) and shooter thats about it.

[aceman]

Kukoc was a fine player a good 3rd option level player but he wasn't a dominant: offensive player or a dominant: defensive player. Pippen was a dominant: defensive player, a very good: offensive player (especially playmaking wise-handling-passing) a good scorer: (not great or dominant but good) and a dominant: driver, finisher, slasher, coast to coast player.

Kukoc ouldn't lead a team like Jordan or Pippen as a 1st option. He isn't in their level. He was a a good playmaker-handler-passer (especially for his size at 6'11 yet very thin) and shooter thats about it.

Kukoc was a match up nightmare & used as a scoring option for Bulls championship teams. However like Pippen his strength was as a point forward & he only got to play that role when team was gutted. As primary playmaker with solid 1994 players around him I think Bulls would contend for playoff berth.

[Lebron23]

No. From 1994-96 Pippen was Kawhi Level without the load management.

[Phoenix]

'Peak' Kukoc is like 96 when he won 6th man. Put that version on the 94 Bulls, probably 42-45 wins if he's fully healthy all year. Kukoc was a good player but he was never someone who was going to be the best or even 2nd best player on a contender. The supersub role on those 96-98 title teams suited him perfectly.

[Roundball_Rock]

As primary playmaker with solid 1994 players around him I think Bulls would contend for playoff berth.

Kukoc would be the third option if Pippen didn't exist in 94'. He would share playmaking duties with BJ. People are conflating what Kukoc became later with what he was in 94' as a rookie.

Kukoc also slowed down as a rookie. He was 12/4/4 before the all-star break but only 9/4/3 in the second half.

[aceman]

Kukoc would be the third option if Pippen didn't exist in 94'. He would share playmaking duties with BJ. People are conflating what Kukoc became later with what he was in 94' as a rookie.

Kukoc also slowed down as a rookie. He was 12/4/4 before the all-star break but only 9/4/3 in the second half.

Krause & Jackson knew what they had in Kukoc & already were the only team in 1994 with a point forward. Krause tried to move Pippen in the off season which would've seen Kukoc take his role.
I think you are right teams that rely heavily on rookies seem to drop off in 2nd half of season. Team may have fallen short of 1994 playoffs