Michael Jordan’s Bulls Never Win A Single Championship Without Jerry Krause Says Isiah Thomas

With two three-peats in eight years, Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls set the standard for success in the NBA. Isiah Thomas weighed in on what made the franchise dominant in the 1990s. He singled out their former general manager, Jerry Krause, as the driving force behind their championship wins.

Thomas revealed his thoughts during a fan interaction on X. The 63-year-old asserted that the Bulls wouldn’t have won any titles without Krause’s contribution to building the team. He claimed,

“This is a bold statement coming: The Chicago Bulls never win a Championship without Jerry Krause. Let it be known”.

https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas/status/1826723409901834369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

This was part of his tweeting spree to restore Krause’s public image. Thomas had previously praised the Chicago-born for integrating the right talents into the roster. For instance, Zeke particularly lauded the former Bulls GM’s role in bringing Toni Kukoc to the NBA, saying,

“Krause was brilliant and adding Toni a 6”11 point Gaurd who can shoot the 3 brilliant”.

https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas/status/1826699260500607204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

These comments undoubtedly showcased Krause’s impact on the Bulls. It all started when he brought in his long-time friend, Tex Winter, as an assistant coach in 1985. Winter’s triangle offense heavily influenced Phil Jackson, who adopted it as the team’s core identity during their championship years.

Krause also played a crucial role in bringing Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant in 1987. He then boldly traded away a fan favorite, Charles Oakley, for Bill Cartwright. A year later, B.J. Armstrong arrived in Chicago. Soon, each became a cornerstone of the roster to help the franchise secure its first three-peat from 1991 to 1993.

Kukoc and Steve Kerr joined the Bulls shortly after. Krause further strengthened the roster by adding rebound specialist Dennis Rodman and point guard Ron Harper. These additions undoubtedly were crucial in their second three-peat run from 1995 to 1998.

Although these instances proved Karuse’s brilliance as a general manager, his certain decisions also created a rift within the franchise. For context, his insistence on rebuilding the squad after 1998 forced MJ, Pippen, Rodman, and Jackson to walk out on the Bulls. The franchise struggled to recover from this.

Krause couldn’t replicate his earlier success in the following years. The Bulls’ draft picks fell short of expectations, and changes in head coaches didn’t produce the desired results. In 2003, he eventually resigned citing minor physical issues.

So, Thomas rightly pointed to Krause’s influence in forming the Bulls’ dynasty. However, his failure in the post-Jordan era proved that the coaching staff and the players were equally important to their historic run.