But he didn't dare to neglect going all out, because once injured and benched, his career might face a catastrophic end—because the last two years of his six-year contract with the Bulls were non-guaranteed, dependent on the team's option.
To this end, during the off-season, Pippen purchased a disability insurance policy worth 3 million US dollars to safeguard against serious injury during the season that could leave him without coverage.
Even so, this could not eliminate Pippen's anxiety. He often wore a thermal vest during training and games, partly to protect his aching back and partly to signal to the Bulls that if he was injured and they didn't offer him a contract, he wouldn't play well and would just focus on recovery.
To appease Pippen's emotions, at the start of the season, Krause promised to sign a new contract with Pippen before Christmas.
