Life long Bulls fan but here is the honest truth of why top tier 1 free-agents shun Chicago. Go back to 1998 after the Bulls win their second 3-peat. The owner and management was on some "players don't win championships, organizations do" logic. So they decided to blow up the squad and send MJ and Phil Jackson away. Throughout the entire run the two Jerry's Krause(GM at that time) and Reinsdorf(owner) was reaping the benefits of an underpaid MJ and Pippen. The reason why top free agents don't come here is because of Reinsdorf(also owns White Sox) and he was the common denominator. There is no way that MJ should not be in the Bulls organization in a very important capacity. The fact that he isn't proves that Reinsdorf is a tight jew. So when free agents think of Chicago guess who they ask about Chicago, yeah you guessed it MJ and Pip. Reinsdorf should have rode with Jordan and not Krause. MJ made the Bulls a great franchise by his name Brand alone. So when free agents saw how Jordan got dissed by Reinsdorf they be like "if Jordan can be underappreciated then where does that leave me". So in closing as long as Reinsdorf is the owner the Bulls will continue to miss out on top tier free agents.
You know what you make very good points because I was fucking pissed when they did that and Jordan wanted to come back but they broke up the team, they should of let them lose it on the court instead of dismantling the team like that. And yes Reinsdorf was cheap, I mean he paid Jordan the last couple of yrs which was about 33mil a year but Jordan deserved that money because Reinsdorf was getting him on the cheap before that. Now Reinsdorf does hire former players, like Bill Cartwright, BJ Armstrong, Paxon and the coaching staff was filled with former Bulls but for some reason he did not bring Jordan back. Mayber Jordan wanted a GM position or something and I can see why he would be hesitant on that, its not like Jordan did a fantastic job with the Wizards or his current team the Bobcats. All I know it is fucked up because I am tired not getting a top notch player, lucked out and got Rose in the draft so hopefully they take care of him when his time comes.