The Chicago Bulls went through a testing phase of uncertainty before they won their first-ever NBA championship in 1991. Michael Jordan’s presence helped the Bulls make it to the playoffs consistently since his debut. However, the team’s roster lacked the firepower to help Jordan push the team forward and win a championship ring. The team management made some crucial changes on the roster in the late 1980s to deliver Jordan a team capable of contending for the chip. However, a distrustful Michael Jordan had his own doubts about the team and wanted to make it clear to the Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf. During the discussions, Michael Jordan revealed some conversations that he had with other league executives while playing golf that portrayed a certain Bulls executive in a very negative light.

Michael Jordan was not too fond of the then-Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause. The six-time NBA champ often questioned Krause’s trade choices and called him out him publicly. However, after support from the team’s stakeholders, Jordan took the responsibility of pressuring Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf to do something about Krause.

Michael Jordan once tried to get Jerry Krause fired

As per Sam Smith’s 1991 book The Jordan Rules, Michael Jordan went to Jerry Reinsdorf’s North Shore house in San Antonio, intending to get Jerry Krause ‘fired’. The Bulls owner believed that Krause had done a good job by getting Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and Bill Cartwright. Moreover, Reinsdorf knew that the team was winning and he liked Krause’s determination. Therefore, he was not in favor of firing the Bulls GM.

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On the other hand, Jordan insisted that the GM should have been a former player. However, Jerry Reinsdorf was not too impressed with the idea. Therefore, MJ, unwilling to back off, disclosed conversations with other GMs while playing golf during the offseason. Michael Jordan said, “I play golf with these general managers all summer. And they all tell me they don’t want to deal with Krause because he’s always trying to rip them off, get something for nothing. It’s why we don’t do anything.”

 MJ argued that Krause’s infamous antics were the reason why the Bulls do not have good players on the roster. However, Reinsdorf insisted, “Jerry likes to get value.”

READ MORE: “I Don’t Know Who Invited Him, I Didn’t”: When Michael Jordan Fired Shots at Jerry Krause

Despite the Bulls team going through a winning run, Jordan had doubts about his teammates who were brought in by Jerry Krause. The six-time Finals MVP questioned Krause’s decision to go after Toni Kukoc aggressively. He was also frustrated that a player like Walter Davis was not acquired in a trade by the Bulls management. 

Reinsdorf tried to help MJ see a bigger perspective

Reinsdorf tried to help Jordan understand the situation by revealing how his public criticism of Krause affected the team’s integrity. The Bulls owner assured MJ that the team management was working on several trade deals. Moreover, Reinsdorf told Jordan that his constant criticism of the general manager undermined Krause’s ability to make lucrative deals. 

 Jerry Reinsdorf stated, “It makes it look like Jerry had to do something, and that makes it harder on us. People start thinking we’re desperate and want to take advantage of us.”

Eventually, the Bulls owner shut out Jordan’s request to fire Krause by claiming that he would not want to look like Isiah Thomas in the media, prompting MJ to back off at the time.