The Chicago Bulls were at the top of their game when they parted ways after The Last Dance in 1998.
Chicago had won six championships via two three-peats. They won three in a row from 1991 to 1993 before MJ’s sudden retirement to play baseball. Mike returned in 1995, and the Bulls won three more chips from 1996 to 1998. But the breakup happened just as when they were on the cusp of immortality.
However, ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said that if Michael Jordan really wanted to run it back, he could’ve bypassed Krause and gone straight to the Jerry Reinsdorf as he always did when he wanted things done his way.
“If you’re gonna tell me that Michael couldn’t get Scottie and Phil in a room and say, alright, let’s go for seven, I mean, we’re up there now. We’re up in Celtics land. Nobody other than Russell has done this. You mean to tell me that I’m gonna bet against Michael Jordan?” said Wilbon.
Wilbon thinks Reinsdorf would listen to MJ
Their breakup was blamed on then-GM Jerry Krause, who made it clear before that 1997-98 season that head coach Phil Jackson wouldn’t be returning in 1998-99. Then there was Scottie Pippen, who had been griping about his contract for years and wanted out of Chicago.