In Chicago, Michael Jordan was like a terrifying dictator, towering above everyone else.
Not everyone had the courage to defy him like Roger did, and not everyone could come out unscathed after standing up to him as Roger had.
The Bulls were divided internally, Jordan faced scrutiny, the team's record was eclipsed by the Magic... The Bulls' situation was pretty bad, and Jerry Krause was well aware that if nothing was done, the Bulls' season would be over.
Michael Jordan was still strong, and the Bulls' record seemed not bad either. But he knew that with the current Bulls lineup, they were no match for the Magic or the Rockets.
He needed some changes, he needed to make some trades before the trade deadline.
The most valuable assets he had on hand for trade were Pippen and Toni Kukoc, and in fact, Krause had indeed found a buyer.
The Seattle SuperSonics gave the Bulls another chance, they were still willing to send Kemp to Chicago in exchange for Scottie Pippen.
