“I don’t understand contracts” – Michael Jordan on how involved he was when the Chicago Bulls used to sign players in free agency originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Michael Jordan and his general manager on the Chicago Bulls, Jerry Krause, didn’t have the best relationship as colleagues. Still, they regularly coordinated with each other when it came to transactions during free agency.
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However, unlike how most superstars are involved in their corresponding team’s front office’s moves in today’s NBA, Jordan was the opposite during his tenure. In fact, MJ preferred to stay away from it because he wanted nothing to do with the contracts and negotiations involved.
“Well, no. They may ask me, “How do you like this guy, Brian Williams?” or whatever. And I tell them, “Hey, you know, I don’t have a problem with Brian.” Or “I don’t have a problem with that player.” And then that’s all, as far as it goes. You know, I don’t understand contracts. I don’t understand obligations or the trades or who we have to get rid of—they never ask me that. I don’t expect them to,” said Jordan in an interview with SLAM Magazine.
The move that MJ regrets fighting Krause over
The fact that the Bulls won six championships throughout the 90s speaks volumes about Krause’s outstanding work as the team’s general manager. There’s a reason why the former Bulls general manager won the Executive of the Year award twice. Some of his most notable moves include drafting Scottie Pippen in 1987, trading for Dennis Rodman in 1995 and promoting Phil Jackson as the team’s head coach in 1989.
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Krause was always credited for his bold and forward approach, which also caused animosity between him and MJ. One move that MJ recalled Krause doing, which he didn’t agree with at first, was when the general manager traded Charles Oakley for the services of Bill Cartwright, which initially upset the six-time champion because of his close relationship with Oakley.
“I was wrong with the Oakley-Bill Cartwright trade. I loved Charles Oakley—he was like a brother to me, and I felt we were giving away too many years by trading a young rebounder for an old guy who hadn’t played a full season. But in terms of what we were trying to get, he was the best… it was the best trade at the time. I still love Charles Oakley, and I loved having him on our team, but in terms of what Bill Cartwright brought to the team, he made a difference,” said MJ.
Why Krause didn’t always listen to MJ
One of the main reasons why Jordan and Krause didn’t get along was because the latter didn’t always want to do what his superstar requested him to — and that’s what Krause thinks made him a terrific general manager. In fact, Krause once complimented himself for not listening to MJ’s orders because if that were the case, the Bulls wouldn’t have been built to win six titles.
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“This kid has had his butt kissed by everybody in the world except his parents and me,” Krause said. “If we listened to him, we’d have Buzz Peterson on the team! My goal is not to be his friend.”
Despite never being friends, Jordan and Krause did their jobs and played a role in building and sustaining one of the most legendary dynasties in sports. It’s proof that sometimes, colleagues don’t necessarily have to get along to achieve great things, but more so excel at their jobs in order to bring out the best in each other.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.