Back in 1996, the Internet didn't exist. Or at least, the Internet didn't exist in its present form, so there wasn't nearly as much speculation about Michael Jordan's impending free agency as there would be if it took place today. People didn't dissect every single word that MJ said looking for clues about his future. But one magazine did go out of its way to stir things up by putting MJ in—GASP—Knicks and Lakers jerseys.
Earlier this afternoon, ESPN's Darren Rovell shared a photo of the cover of a 1996 SPORT magazine featuring MJ in the jerseys. If you're a Knicks or Lakers fan (or even a Bulls fan, for that matter), we'd advise you to look away because the thoughts of "WHAT IF…?!" will overpower your senses when you see this image. If you're not, take a look here:
Obviously, neither of these scenarios came true. But it's pretty interesting to see that, even back in 1996, there was some over-the-top speculation when it came to NBA free agency. It was just nowhere near where we're at today.
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[via @darrenrovell]
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