Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls Weren't Like the Miami Heat Are Now

After reading through countless comments on sites like ESPN and Bleacher Report about the Michael Jordan remarks, one thing has captured my attention more than anything else: people comparing Jordan's Chicago Bulls to the new super team that is the Miami Heat.

That couldn't be further from the truth.

To start off, it needs to be crystal clear that in no way, shape or form is the trio of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman like Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh.

Whew. Had to get that out of my system.

You see, the Bulls were, for the most part, built from the ground up, while the Heat are a team comprised of individual superstars joining forces in the most lucrative free agency period in the NBA's history.

Jordan? Drafted.

Pippen? Drafted. (Technically not, but they obtained him through a draft day trade, so sue me.)

Of those three key players in Chicago's scheme, only Rodman was acquired via trades or free agency. But even then, there is no way the rebounding machine that was No. 91 compares to Bosh in terms of offensive talent. Yes, Rodman averaged a ridiculous 13.1 rebounds a game for his career, but he also scored only 7.3 points per game. Then there's Bosh, the ex-Toronto Raptor who has scored over 20 points and pulled down nearly 10 rebounds per game in his career.

The Bulls gained one "superstar" through a trade.

The Heat got the reigning MVP and another top-15 player in the league. At the same time.

Some will say bring the debate outside the trio and say, "Well, Chicago also had Steve Kerr, the all-time leader in three point field goal percentage in NBA history!"

But no one was really talking up Kerr before joining Chicago. The Bulls were Kerr's fourth team in six seasons in the league, and he was well on his way to becoming a journeyman. The former Arizona Wildcat's shooting talent couldn't fully be appreciated unless he had a team to give him those open looks.

And besides, the Heat recently signed Mike Miller, the current three point pioneer in the NBA—which considerably dulls the Steve Kerr argument. Miller shot 48 percent from behind the arc last season for a god-awful Washington Wizards team. Just imagine what he could do for Miami, a team that has, at minimum, three other priority scoring options.

Back to the Big Three.

Of the Chicago Bulls trio only, only Rodman was in his prime when he joined the team; maybe even a smidgen past his prime, since he was already in his 11th season. How is that comparable to the Heat, who have three superstars between the ages of 25 and 28?

The last point I want to make is that, besides Rodman, the Chicago trifecta was groomed and developed while in the Windy City. They didn't have a legacy before joining the Bulls—it was made while they were there.

The exact opposite is true for LeBron, and to a lesser extent, Bosh.

LeBron-mania has been going on since he was a kid in diapers. Okay not really, but at least since he was high schooler at St. Vincent-St. Mary's. James transformed from basketball prodigy to worldwide sports icon during his tenure with the Cavaliers. A sampling of his accomplishments include a scoring title, two MVPs, and a six-time All-Star.

Yeah, I think he has his own legacy.

Bosh isn't nearly as decorated as his new teammate, but he is still regarded as one of the top 15 or 20 players in the NBA. A five-time All-Star and Toronto's all-time scoring leader, Bosh has certainly made a name for himself.

To make it entirely clear, this isn't intended to be another bashing of the Miami Heat; everyone's done enough of that already. But Heat fans (and others) should not be so quick to take Michael Jordan's comments and get on the defensive by saying he did the same thing.

He didn't.

Heat fans should enjoy the new powerhouse team they have in South Beach, but it is not like the Bulls of old.

And new isn't necessarily bad.

The league is a lot different than when His Airness was running the show. MJ himself said, "Things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today."