Foot Patrol Gives Bulls Concern

Chicago Bull Coach Phil Jackson said he won’t decide until just before tip-off Sunday whether Scottie Pippen will play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.

Pippen has what the team calls “a soft tissue injury on the bottom of his left foot,” and is walking with a noticeable limp. He didn’t practice Friday and is not expected to practice today.

“I should be fine, though that might be wishful thinking,” Pippen said.

Pippen averages 20 points, is a good defender and runs the Chicago offense.

If he can’t play, Toni Kukoc is a likely replacement.

However, Kukoc has been struggling with his own foot problems, and Jud Buechler, who usually plays sparingly, could get the majority of minutes at small forward.

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Seattle forward Shawn Kemp, unhappy with a contract that paid him $3 million last season, has asked to be traded, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.

Tony Dutt, Kemp’s agent, contacted SuperSonic President Wally Walker just days after the team was eliminated from the NBA playoffs, the newspaper said.

Kemp’s unhappiness stems from his current contract, which has six years remaining.

Kemp, 27, made $3 million last season--low by NBA standards--but he won’t actually be paid his market value of $14.6 million until the 2002-2003 season, when the contract ends.

He is also unhappy about center Jim McIlvaine’s $33 million contract--especially since McIlvaine had very little postseason play and is generally considered a bust.

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Phoenix Sun President Jerry Colangelo met with guard Kevin Johnson to try to talk him out of retiring and said he expects to hear from him in “a couple of weeks.”

Johnson, a 10-year veteran and three-time all-star, has maintained for two years that the 1996-97 season would be his last. So the Suns traded for Jason Kidd in December.

But Johnson and Kidd meshed well. Johnson finished as the team leader in points (20.1 average), assists (9.3) and three-point accuracy (44.1%).

Meanwhile, the Suns won 20 of their last 26 games.

Johnson earned about $7 million last season and will become a free agent July 1. He has said money is no object and that, if he returns, it will be with the Suns.