What if Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had returned after the NBA lockout to try for a fourth consecutive championship?
As detailed in ESPN's documentary series "The Last Dance," the Bulls never got a chance at that feat -- which only one team has accomplished, when the Boston Celtics won eight titles in a row from 1959 to 1966.
With general manager Jerry Krause insistent on replacing legendary coach Phil Jackson, reigning MVP Jordan announced his second retirement at age 35 and the bulk of the rotation departed through either free agency or trade. Ron Harper and Toni Kukoc were the primary holdovers on a 1998-99 Chicago team that went 13-37 under new coach Tim Floyd.
What if Krause had changed his mind or been overruled by owner Jerry Reinsdorf to bring back Jackson and as much of the Bulls' core as possible? How much of a toll might age and a series of extended playoff runs have taken? Let's take a stab at projecting the 1998-99 Bulls using advanced stats.
