He may have built the dominant Bulls teams of the 90s, but for Jerry Krause things continue to be off-course after the turn of the century when last week he was shown the door by baseball's the New York Yankees, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.

Krause long considered baseball a stronger knowledge of his than basketball and he joined the Yankees in January after resigning from the position of General Manager of thie Chicago Bulls in April 2003.

According to the New York Post Krause's departure comes as part of the reconstruction of the team's minor-league system.

Scottie Pippen, holder of six rings, the greatest sidekick of all-time is set to retire after 17 years in the NBA.  

All $5.3 million of Pippen's guaranteed salary will count against the NBA salary cap. If Pippen were to agree to forfeit some money -- a long-shot possibility -- it could help the Bulls' payroll for purposes of the luxury-tax threshold.

He will retire with career averages of 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.96 steals per game. His 208 career playoff games rank second to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 237.

Michael Jordan has been working out in Chicago with NBA players.  No he is not planning a third comeback, but he is getting a first hand look at rising talent.

He is apparently very high on the Bulls first round pick, Ben Gordon.  Jordan reportedly has taken such a liking to Gordon that he had the 21-year-old former UConn star over to his house for dinner.

Ignoring the Memphis Grizzlies? many offers for their young center, Chicago appears to be holding on to their prospect.  

Curry has recently shed a good deal of extra weight in an attempt to become competitive and live up to his high expectations coming out of high school where he starred on the documentary television show ?Preps.?

The Houston Rockets consummated the least-kept trade secret in the league today, sending a freshly re-signed free agent guard Mike Wilks, guard Adrian Griffin and guard Eric Piatkowski to the shooting-guard starved Chicago Bulls in exchange for Dikembe Mutombo.

The Rockets have long sought after a competent reserve center first for Hakeem Olajuwon and then for Yao Ming, but the acquisition of the eight-time All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year should shore up Houston's front line.

Mutumbo, 38, has battled injuries and the wrath of coaches in recent years, struggling to average 5.6 points and 6.7 rebounds with the Knicks last season. He made it known to Chicago executives that he preferred to finish his career with a title contender after being dealt to the Bulls in a multiplayer deal involving Jamal Crawford.

Mutombo joins a long list of Rockets with New York ties. Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy, Assistant Head Coach Tom Thibodeau, Assistant Coach Steve Clifford, Assistant Coach/Advance Scout Andy Greer, Assistant Coach Patrick Ewing, unsigned free agent guard Mark Jackson, guard Charlie Ward and forward Clarence Weatherspoon all are former Knicks. Longtime Knick forward Charles Oakley also spent time with the Rockets this past season on a series of ten-day contracts.

The Houston Rockets re-signed free agent guard Mike Wilks Tuesday, but he isn't expected to stay much longer in Clutch City.

Wilks' agent, Bill Neff, told Houston TV station KRIV that Wilks has agreed to be included in a sign-and-trade deal that would send Rockets guards Eric Piatkowski and Adrian Griffin with Wilks to the Chicago Bulls for center Dikembe Mutombo.

Dikembe Mutombo, the 38-year-old former NBA All-Star confirmed that he has agreed to a trade with the Chicago Bulls that will bring him to Houston in exchange for Eric Piatkowski, Adrian Griffin and Mike Wilks. The Rockets will pick up the majority, if not all, of the money that is remaining on Griffin's contract.

The 7-2 Mutombo, currently attending the NBA's Basketball Without Borders-Africa outreach program, said he is excited about the prospect of joining Yao Ming on the front line in Houston.  Yao and Mutombo will make the Rockets very strong defensively and will likely lead the entire league in blocked shots.

"It is where I have wanted to be all along," Mutombo said Monday night. "I told them a long time ago that it was my wish, and I'm so happy that it was granted.

"I have already talked to (Rockets assistant coach) Patrick (Ewing) and several others, and I can't wait to get there."

Dependant upon how his sore left knee holds up, Scottie Pippen may decide to call it quits.  If he does retire, the Bulls will likely release Pippen in order to clear up a roster spot for back-up point guard like the 5?11? Wilks.

If the Bulls do decide to release Pippen they will pay him $5.5-million, closing out his salary.

The Chicago Bulls drafted Chris Duhon in the second round of this year's draft, and are high on his potential, but with an overloaded roster, there will not be room for him on the club.  They have spoken about finding him a place to play overseas to improve his game until roster space is cleared for him to return.

Bulls center Eddy Curry has a lot riding on this year's season, financially and emotionally. Under new management and flashing a new attitude, the new-look veteran is undergoing a radical revision as he heads into a contract year that will determine if the Bulls will lock him into a long, lucrative contract that could pay him close to $90 million over seven years.

A little over a month ago, he was doing all the wrong things. He was a slouchy hip-hopper tipping the scales at 320 pounds and headed in the opposite direction of the 285-pound target weight the Bulls had set. He got ripped in the media for being on track to come to camp overweight and out of shape for the fourth straight year since the Bulls drafted him out of Thornwood High School.

The Bulls were receiving many phone calls this summer inquiring about the availability of Curry.  He is still a very desirable commodity, with a massive upside, and now, with an improved work ethic, seems keen on fulfilling his talent and can become this season's Most Improved Player.