If there’s anyone who knows what it feels like to play alongside a transcendent NBA superstar, it’s Scottie Pippen.After all, Pippen won six NBA titles as Michael Jordan’s teammate on the historic Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s.Therefore, when Kyrie Irving asked the Cavaliers for a trade away from LeBron James, Pippen’s perspective immediately became interesting.Would he defend Irving’s action and identify with it or would he tear him down and call him selfish for abandoning a team that went to the NBA Finals for three seasons in a row?On ESPN’s “The Jump”, Pippen offered a surprising take, given the fact that he has six rings."I am a very strong supporter of what he's doing because I've watched what has happened to him in his career and how things went for him in Cleveland, and I think he's at a superstar level now that he can control his own destiny,” Pippen said of Irving.“A lot of players in our game have that opportunity and they don't take advantage of it. I think it's the perfect timing, Cleveland didn't win a championship, they were right there, but there's been a lot of things going on within that organization. LeBron doesn't give those guys the security that they need, that the superstar is gonna be there and he's gonna support us and I see Kyrie looking at the opportunity to run before LeBron runs, because there's a lot of chatter out there that LeBron's coming to play with the Lakers.”Pippen went on to admit that he wouldn’t have won as many championships if he decided to leave Chicago, saying that he placed winning above his individual goals at the time. But, he also admitted that it was a personal battle for him not to leave to be “the man” in another city.

But, nonetheless, he understands Irving’s current state of mind, especially since the point guard found out that the team floated his name in trade offers earlier in the offseason.

If LeBron decides to bolt and leave Cleveland next summer, there would be a high chance that Irving would be left high and dry on what would be a rebuilding team. Therefore, getting out of town before the threat of LeBron leaving comes to fruition is a logical desire, especially for a young player with superstar potential who has been regarded as the “Robin” to LeBron’s “Batman” stature.