A little more than a week has passed since Bulls coach Phil Jackson tasted the champagne for a fifth time in seven years. Almost a week has passed since he stood on that stage during what has become a familiar sight, a Bulls championship rally at Grant Park.
Jackson has had a chance to savor this latest title run, to reflect on how difficult yet how enjoyable this one really was.
The injuries to Luc Longley, Toni Kukoc and Dennis Rodman. The Rodman suspensions that became as common as his knack for rebounding. The greatness of Michael Jordan. The evolving greatness of Scottie Pippen.
The 69 victories, only three short of the record-setting 72 of the previous season. A playoff stretch against Washington, Atlanta, Miami and Utah that was as nerve-wracking as it was satisfying.
As Jackson sat in the quiet Berto Center on Saturday, he reflected on it all.
“This was a real exciting but also draining year for us,” Jackson said. “People kept saying we weren’t playing our best basketball. They were probably right. We were able to overcome a lot of odds. I think that was a real pleasure for us. And the simple fact that we went 15-4 (in the playoffs).
“It has to be one of my favorite championships simply because this last one was a challenge and it was a great team we beat, and we did it in a wonderful way.”
But was it the last one?
Jackson also had to ponder that question. With the immediate future of the Bulls uncertain, with talk of the team trading Pippen in an effort to begin a long-term rebuilding process, Jackson spoke of his future, the future of Jordan and the state of a franchise that has captured five championships in the 1990s.
Tribune–Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsorf said last week that if the team should trade Scottie Pippen–or anybody else–thereby changing the makeup of this team, he’s not so sure you’d want to stick around as head coach. Have you considered what the makeup of the team might be for the 1997-98 season and how that might affect your decision?
Jackson–Oh, yeah. When the makeup of the team is determined, I have every confidence that they’ll come to me and say, `Here’s what we’ve got. What do you think?’ That’s obviously a courtesy factor. At that time, sitting down and weighing it out is another factor.
Q–How important is it to have Pippen, who has been with the team for 10 years now, as well as the rest of this year’s championship squad intact for at least one more season?
A–One of the things I feel strongly about is the loyalty factor between Scottie and Michael and me and the rest of the championship team. I’ve developed a trust and a faith with those guys over the course of the last three years, and some of them five years–Scottie and Michael, eight and 10 years. That’s really the biggest weight in my decision. But the organization and I have had a wonderful relationship. Jerry Reinsdorf has been a great owner in this situation. He’s given a lot of latitude to me. The big thing now is that it is his decision as to, Is this the right time? Can we rebuild the team? Will this be the most expedient way? And how do you keep a franchise at the top when it is at the top?
Q–The common belief is you would rather have a one-year contract as opposed to a multiyear deal. Reinsdorf prefers the latter so you’d be part of any long-term retooling process. Have you considered signing maybe a three-year deal with the option of stepping down after one or two years?
A–There is that option. But the reality of this situation is you press yourself into this kind of a job and you push and you stay and you work real hard. When you start rebuilding, how do you all of a sudden put the hammer down and start reading through your message for 2-hour practices when some of the guys are already used to you? You’re all on the same level. Suddenly, now you have to change into a disciplinarian and a fundamental system-type coach when you’re teaching a whole new group of players. You have one group that knows how to play, and you have one group that doesn’t know how to play, and you’re balancing all this off.
Q–So is it better to be part of a wholesale rebuilding process or a gradual rebuilding process?
A–If you’re going to go out and start all over again, it’s best to just do it with a whole new group and make a complete new situation and new grounds so that it’s a total refresher. It has nothing to do with the city or the Bulls. It’s the amount of energy and the amount of change in coaching patterns that you have to assume if you’re doing a rebuilding project.
Q–Jordan has said he will retire if you’re not the head coach and Pippen isn’t in the fold. If things don’t work out–Pippen is gone and you’re not coaching–do you feel Jordan would be cheating himself if he leaves the game?
A–I think Michael would probably go with a one-year-at-a-time type thing. He was drained at the end of this year and exhausted. He knew that there’s a certain end where you may still be playing well, but you just don’t have enough energy to finish out the way you want to finish out a season. I think he’d like to take it one year at a time, if I could speak for him in that regard. I see Michael coming back and playing another year. He’s still the most valuable player on the floor almost every night just by virtue of what he can do at the offensive end, let alone the rest of his game which is very good.
Q–Could you see Michael playing without Scottie?
A–A lot of Michael’s game depends upon playing with Scottie and how they can balance it off to win games. He sees that . . . playing off each other so well, they’re almost a tag team of basketball.
Q–Reinsdorf has said Dennis Rodman is welcome back for one more season, provided you and Jerry Krause want him back. How does Rodman fit into the plans?
A–Dennis has said, basically, that he will come back and play for free. But you can’t have a Dennis Rodman who plays 50 games or 60 games. He’s got to be there night in and night out. This year was his hardest time, and I think Dennis put himself on the line by not being real consistent in his behavior. Some of it was not his fault. Some of it was due to an injury (13 games missed). He has said, “Pay me on what my value is at the end of the year.” There isn’t much practicality in that.
Q–Maybe another incentive-laden contract like last season?
A–There are some things I think the club could do to try to ensure that Dennis can come back in a certain way. Otherwise, you really can’t afford to pay Dennis if he’s going to be inconsistent. Jason Caffey has shown the ability to come out strong, so that’s a big decision to be made. But there are other decisions that have to be made before that one. His future won’t be determined until after Michael and Scottie and, perhaps, myself.
