[Lee Jong-gil's Movie Reading] 'NBA Championship' Different Dreams... The Fracture of the Chicago Dynasty

Netflix Documentary 'The Last Dance'
"Focus on Team Living Deal Over Next Championship" vs "Champions Deserve to Keep Their Spot"
Revisiting Chicago Bulls Management and Player Conflicts... Reflecting on Jordan's Memories
'Bullish' GM Krause's Decisiveness and Insight... Rebuilding Considered After Every Championship
Chicago Dynasty Ends with Jordan's Departure "He Would Have Accepted If Offered a Renewal"

Michael Jordan

The Chicago Bulls of the NBA won their fifth championship in the 1996-97 season. Team owner Jerry Reinsdorf (84) and general manager Jerry Krause (1939?2017) were not entirely pleased. This was because the skills of the players, except for Michael Jordan (57), were declining. “It was time to discuss changes to the team. We decided it was time to rebuild, not to aim for a sixth championship (Reinsdorf),” he said.

Jordan had a different view. At the post-championship press conference, he said, “You deserve to keep the championship until someone takes it away.” “Who knows when rebuilding will end? The Chicago Cubs have been rebuilding for 42 years. From a business perspective, I think we should respect those who laid the foundation to make the team profitable.”

The Netflix documentary The Last Dance reexamines the conflicts between Chicago’s management and players. The tension is most palpable in the history of the Chicago dynasty and Jordan’s biography, presented over 10 episodes. The perspective is somewhat distant from fairness or balance. Since it is mainly based on Jordan’s recollections, it tends to lean toward the players’ side.

From the left, Coach Phil Jackson, General Manager Jerry Krause, Dennis Rodman
[Photo by Netflix]

Rick Telander, a Chicago Sun-Times reporter featured in the documentary, says, “Most of the tension that year was caused by GM Krause.” Mark Vancil (62), author of the Jordan biography Rare Air, also states, “Krause was always the underdog compared to others. He couldn’t suppress his desire to be recognized for his contributions.” He adds, “He claimed that the credit for the championship belonged to the organization, not the players.”

Krause never said such a thing. The statement “Winning is led not only by players and coaches but by the entire organization” was misreported. However, in a subsequent interview, Jordan recalled as follows: “We know that the fifteen players are not the whole team. The front office staff also contributes diligently. But the most important part is the players. As someone who thinks about basketball this way, Krause’s remarks felt offensive to me.”

Scottie Pippen (left) and Michael Jordan
[Photo by Netflix]

Chicago’s rise as the top franchise in the 1990s was not only due to championships and Jordan. Other teams envied the passion and support Chicago fans showed for the team and basketball. GM Krause had a profound impact on Chicago’s transformation into a basketball city. Jumpball editor Son Dae-beom wrote in his book I LOVE NBA: “Although he was often at odds with Jordan, Scottie Pippen (55), and others, playing a major role in the breakup of the Chicago dynasty, he greatly contributed to completing the Bulls dynasty through player recruitment and management.”

Krause received both praise and criticism for his unique decisiveness and bull-headed stubbornness. Although not a former player, he had an excellent eye for talent. This ability came from personally driving across the United States to evaluate players’ skills. He was so busy that he considered even dining at a restaurant a waste of time, often eating hamburgers while driving. He prioritized selecting players who could adapt to team play over those with height or scoring ability. Pippen is a representative success story.

Krause first saw Pippen at the Portsmouth Tournament and told his agent, “If necessary, I’ll hide him in Hawaii.” He reportedly lost sleep for several nights fearing other teams would recognize Pippen’s talent. At the time, Chicago had the 8th overall draft pick. Upon learning that the Sacramento Kings, who had the 6th pick, were interested in Pippen, Krause aggressively made a trade with the Seattle SuperSonics. He gave up the 8th pick and a second-round pick to acquire the 5th pick.

Michael Jordan (left) and Coach Phil Jackson
[Photo by Netflix]

Krause faced much criticism for his tough stance during salary negotiations. He was even skeptical about signing a long-term, high-salary contract with Jordan. From the late 1990s, Jordan renewed his contract annually, making the retention of coach Phil Jackson (75) and key members like Pippen a condition. Thus, the management had to worry every time the players lifted the championship trophy.

However, they were partners after all. Especially, Jackson’s successful coaching career was largely thanks to Krause. In 1967, while working for the Baltimore Bullets (the predecessor of the Washington Wizards), Krause insisted on drafting Jackson. Contrary to his wishes, Jackson ended up wearing a New York Knicks uniform. Krause kept in touch with Jackson even while he was retired and coaching in Puerto Rico and elsewhere. He promised to help Jackson coach in the NBA and fulfilled that promise by appointing Doug Collins as Chicago’s coach in the 1987?88 season.

Krause’s timid and stubborn personality made it difficult for him to get along with players. His relationship with Pippen deteriorated to the worst due to low salary and trade rumors. The discord expanded into conflicts with coach Jackson, who acted as a mediator. Each time, owner Reinsdorf showed flexibility and intervened. In The Last Dance, he spoke about rebuilding as follows:

Michael Jordan [Photo by Netflix]

“After the sixth championship, things got too big. Bringing back those players would have been fatal for the organization. The value of Pippen, Steve Kerr (55), Dennis Rodman (59), Ron Harper (56), and others had risen too much. It was obvious their value would become absurdly high compared to their actual worth. So we realized rebuilding was necessary and asked Jackson to coach the next year. But Jackson didn’t want to rebuild. He said he didn’t want to coach a losing team. That was the end of it. Naturally. If Jordan had been vigorous and willing to continue, Krause would have surely tried to build another championship contender within one or two years. But that wasn’t something that could be done immediately.”

Jordan says he would have accepted a contract renewal if the team had offered it at the time. Meanwhile, Jackson recalls it was time to leave. “I had a good time playing on a great team. So it was time to go.” Chicago ended its dynasty with Jordan’s departure. Perhaps it was fortunate. The fans who had been so passionately enthusiastic were spared the disappointment of seeing their stars grow old and leave.