Well Krause did go get Scottie too. And Grant during the first 3 peat. Not sure everyone appreciated a sharpshooting specialist like Kerr as much as he would obviously be highly valued today. Krause had his share of clunkers, but he did do a nice job building around Michael. I don't know if he was necessarily wrong to want to want to get out of the downside of an aging Pippen. The Jackson tension was a little different obviously and more egregiously his ego getting in the way it seems. If he threads the needle though, MJ could have carried a good team into his late 30s while you rebuilt around him on the fly. As it was he basically lost that battle in 97 and JR forced all the chips go in for 98, then Krause just got to do his rebuild with whatever he could get out of Kukoc, Kerr, Longley, etc and the rest walking. But there were a lot of other forces aiming towards that breakup, Krause just wanted to light a match on that kindling asap. Honestly, the dynasty was probably close to being done anyway. Like was said, that Pacers series was brutal. The Jazz were right there most of the games and were kind of a tough matchup. That being said, I would have loved to seen them let Phil go and let the rest of the team make a run just to see how it ended. Scottie's contract made that tough, but if Jordan was there I think he would have been. The strike shortened season is whatever. The Knicks team that won the East as an 8 seed was the same the Bulls used to beat up on. Them against the twin towers of the Spurs would have been interesting. But I would love to have seen the Bulls, slightly retooled with role players vs. Phil Jackson and the 99-00 Lakers. Jordan and Pippen in the twilight against a prime Shaq and young Kobe, with Phil as the coach. If not for Jordan getting his dad killed and Krause's ego, the Bulls could have legitimately threatened the Celtics 11 rings in 13 years with 11 straight. Watching Pippen and Jordan age would have been one thing. Watching an aging MJ with a young McGrady would have been pretty interesting as well though. But Phil would have probably bailed and if MJ was serious about not playing for anyone, but Phil, that wasn't gonna happen either. So the hypothetical becomes if you would possibly trade the 6th championship for building around McGrady in 97/98 if that trade happens.