As the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr has not been afraid to comment on touchy or controversial subjects.
In the first two episodes of “The Last Dance,” the documentary of the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls that aired Sunday night, Kerr was part of the introduction into the drama between star Scottie Pippen and general manager Jerry Krause.
Pippen elected to get surgery for an injury that occurred in the 1997 playoffs, but instead of doing it in the offseason, he did it at the beginning of the following season.
He was angry at management for not giving re-negotiating his contract.
“There was a lot of anger from Scottie,” Kerr remembered. “He had been one of the best players in the game for many years. He had done so much for the Bulls. So, his frustration bubbled over.”
That argument between Pippen and management nearly led to the implosion of the team, as Pippen demanded a trade during the season.
He would not end up getting traded and the Bulls won their sixth championship.
Krause, who died in March 2017, was not interviewed for the documentary.
The documentary acknowledged Krause’s part in smart decisions as the architect of the team, including trading Charles Oakley for Bill Cartwright.
But the public mocking Krause received from players over the years, including Pippen and Jordan, showed just how poor some of his decisions and actions were, too.
“Jerry did a phenomenal job with the team. He made great trades, made great free agent signings,” Kerr said. “He deserves a lot of credit — but he couldn’t get out of his own way.”
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