Team Management
Klein selected Johnny “Red” Kerr and Al Bianchi to serve as the Bulls’ head coach and assistant coach, respectively. Since both were former players who were still under contract with their old teams, Klein actually drafted his coaching staff via the NBA Expansion Draft. He then acquired Guy Rodgers, Jerry Sloan, Len Chappell, Jim Washington, Erwin Mueller, Don Kojis, and Bob Boozer to form the core playing unit for the Bulls. In support of the new team, Klein and Kerr paraded through Chicago in a flatbed truck, accompanied by a live bull.
Though the Bulls finished the 1966-67 NBA season with a 33-48 record, they still managed to reach the postseason. This was the first time any expansion franchise reached the playoffs in their first year, a feat that has not been repeated. They lost in the first round to the St. Louis Hawks in four games. Klein considered the season a success, saying, “We had good players led by good men, so we became competitive”.
However, the Bulls regressed the following season, winning just 29 games, and as the team struggled to increase attendance figures, tensions emerged between Klein and Kerr. Klein openly criticized Kerr in the local media, and he frequently sent notes to his coaching staff during games, which contained messages such as “That’s seven turnovers this quarter”. Tired of Klein’s involvement, Kerr finally left the team in 1968 and was replaced by Dick Motta.
Unfortunately, Klein feuded with Motta, as well. After Klein sent Erwin Mueller to the Seattle SuperSonics for cash in 1969, Motta reportedly said, “You can’t play with money; money won’t play!”. Motta then ordered Klein to consult him before any trade he made in the future. Facing pressure from other members of team management, Klein stepped down as general manager before the start of the Bulls fourth season, but he retained his share of the ownership and saw the Bulls improve significantly under Motta during the next few seasons. The team won 51 games during the 1970-71 season and 57 games the next season, and the Bulls began to secure a steady fan base.
Read more about this topic: Dick Klein (basketball)
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