The Bulls will retire Scottie Pippen?s No. 33 jersey at halftime of a Dec. 9 game against the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Daily Herald columnist Mike McGraw.

There was never much question whether Pippen?s number would someday hang from the rafters at the United Center, even after he was traded to Houston in 1999 following the Bulls? sixth championship.

Pippen?s relationship with the Bulls resumed when John Paxson took over as general manager in 2003. Paxson signed the then 37-year-old Pippen as a free agent that summer, though the return trip to Chicago didn?t work out as hoped. He played in just 23 games that season because of a chronically sore left knee and officially retired last September.

The game against the Lakers was a natural choice, because former Bulls coach Phil Jackson is back with Los Angeles after a year off and will be able to attend the ceremony.

The Bulls first acquired Pippen in a 1987 draft-night trade with Seattle. A fixture on the Bulls for the next 11 years, Pippen and Michael Jordan were the two players who were members of all six championship teams.