Dennis Rodman became notorious for his uncanny behavior, and things would only get worse heading into the 1992-93 season. "The Worm" had a lot on his plate. That included him experiencing personal challenges when Chuck Daly stepped down as the Detroit Pistons head coach and dealing with a divorce from his estranged wife, Annie Bakes.
With much going on in his head, Rodman would skip training camp and receive a hefty fine. With his actions, the Pistons were listening to trade offers for the two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Several teams were interested in the Southeastern Oklahoma State product, but none came close to sealing a deal.
The chances of seeing Rodzilla get shipped to another team grew even slimmer at the trade deadline. Several teams were interested in taking in the seven-time rebounding champion at the time. However, Pistons management made it clear that no deal would go through if it did not benefit the team.
Rodman hardly cared
Hence, all Rodman could do then was suit up and play for the Motor City squad. When asked to comment on the trade rumors, Dennis responded as simply as he could.
"I'm just here to play basketball," Rodman said before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers via UPI . "Whatever happens, happens. I'm not trying to force a trade."
Analyzing that response, Rodman obviously tried to avoid answering that question and hardly cared what the Pistons would do. With a lot on his mind, it appeared to be the safest answer he could give and avoid digging a deeper hole for himself.
With no trade happening, Rodman stayed true to his word and played on for the Pistons that year. Despite the adversity, he made it to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. His numbers were also decent, averaging 18.3 rebounds in 62 games. Despite his efforts, the Pistons failed to advance to the postseason.
Moving to San Antonio
The long-awaited trade finally happened in October 1993. The Pistons shipped "The Worm" to the San Antonio Spurs, where he would have to blend in and develop chemistry with star player David Robinson. Unfortunately for the Spurs, it was also when Rodman went out of control.
He would clash with management and miss games for San Antonio. However, he remained the same defensive and rebounding monster that most know him to be. Unfortunately, the Spurs needed more than that from the two-time All-Star, particularly his championship experience.
"I loved having him next to me on the court because you always felt like, you know you just got a warrior with you. So on the court, he's a great guy to have next to you. In the locker room is a little different story," Robinson shared in an interview with Joe Buck.
Rodman never did well with the Spurs, a team he stayed with for two seasons. San Antonio's problem then was managing Rodman and his off-court antics while keeping him focused.
All that changed when Rodman was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1995. Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan found a way to get through to Dennis that year. The result was an NBA title—the fourth one for the Bulls and the third one for Rodman.
Related: "Isiah is leading the charge. He's the one we follow" - When Dennis Rodman pointed out why the Pistons were rolling during the 1990 playoffs
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