** FILE ** Chicago Bulls' Scottie Pippen flies towards the basket in front of Indiana Pacers' Mark Jackson (13) during the first quarter of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Sunday, May 31, 1998, in Chicago. With most of the league's stars and decision-makers gathering at the All-Star weekend festivities in Las Vegas, the 41-year-old Pippen announced he's hoping for a late-season return to a contending team, nearly 2 years after he left the league. (AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser,file)