1. Bulls had one more in them if they pulled the trio back together in 1999
Although the flaws really started to show up for the Bulls in bits and pieces during the 1997-98 season, they likely would’ve been the title favorites if that same core came back for the following season. Jackson just had too many differences with Krause, as did a lot of the players on the Bulls roster at this point in time.
Instead of trying to keep the dynasty years alive heading into the 1998-99 season, Krause and Jerry Reinsdorf would tear it all down to and try to rebuild heading into the new century. The Bulls did keep the likes of Kukoc, Ron Harper, Bill Wennington, and Dickey Simpkins. But that was about it.
Krause shipped out Pippen to the Houston Rockets in a trade that would get the Bulls nothing else but big man (and current assistant coach) Roy Rogers and a second round draft pick. Hall-of-Fame big man Dennis Rodman was released and would only play in 35 more regular season games in his NBA career, in two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.
A very notable moment from The Last Dance finale was the likes of Pippen and Jordan speaking on the matter of the breakup of the last Bulls team. Jordan seemed convinced that he would’ve come back, along with the rest of this crew, if Krause wasn’t so determined to break them up prior to the start of the 1997-98 season.
And Jordan has a point too since age wouldn’t be as much of a factor with the shortened 1998-99 regular season that wouldn’t begin until the 1999 calendar year.