Former Bulls GM Jerry Krause Dies at Age 77

Former Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause died Tuesday afternoon. He was 77.

A family member confirmed the news to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

Krause took over as the Bulls' GM in 1985 and held the role until his retirement in 2003. His tenure included the franchise's unmatched success in the 1990s, which featured six NBA championships with the legendary tandem of head coach Phil Jackson and superstar Michael Jordan.

Jackson released a statement on Krause's death via the New York Knicks' PR team:

The Chicago native held various other roles during a lifetime commitment to sports. He worked as a scout for several NBA organizations before joining the Bulls and returned to scouting baseball prospects following his departure from the NBA.

His lasting legacy will always surround the roster he built around Jordan to make the Bulls one of the greatest dynasties in league history.

Whether it was drafting Scottie Pippen in 1987 or acquiring the enigmatic Dennis Rodman in a 1995 trade with the San Antonio Spurs, Krause had an innate ability to pull the right strings at the perfect time to keep the Bulls on top.

David Kaplan of CSN Chicago believes the end result is a Hall of Fame resume:

Although the call from Springfield didn't arrive during his lifetime, he's still got a strong case to be inducted as a contributor. Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf received the honor last year.

Krause spoke with Johnson in March 2016 about his career and sounded content with his journey, regardless of which accolades came in the future.

"It has been a hell of a ride," he said. "And now it's over. It's time. I've got no beefs. What the hell, a kid from Albany Park? It's a long way from where I came."

Along with the six titles, Krause was honored with the league's NBA Executive of the Year Award twice.