What will the Bulls do now that they’ve regrouped to win their fifth championship?

Can we look forward to seeing the most powerful trio that has ever set foot on the basketball court again?

I think that in order for Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson to be back in the saddle, they will each have to realize that there is only so much money in the world, and, no, they can’t have it all.

Jordan was paid $25 million for one year. Rumors have already surfaced that Mr. Jordan will be asking for in the ball park of $36 million for next season.

My question is this: If you have $25 million, why would you need $36 million more? Not to mention the mountain of wealth that he has already accumulated.

Then there is Pippen, who to me, is taking a lot of unworthy criticism. So Pippen doesn’t have a statue built in his honor. So what? He has been an intricate part of five Bulls championships and is arguably the second-best player in the league.

Trade rumors of Pippen are ridiculous. To trade Pippen would be committing team suicide, and I think Bulls’ owner Jerry Krause knows that.

So, how much money is Pippen worth?

I guess that can only be determined by how much Jordan and Jackson will get paid. When that’s done, how much money will be left for Pippen?

Or vice versa:

If Pippen is given the huge contract, how much money will be left for Jackson?

The problem that Krause runs into is that each player is an intricate part of the puzzle.

Jordan picks up Pippen, Pippen picks up Jordan and Jackson satisfies both egos, designing the entire offense around their stellar abilities.

Jordan won’t play without Pippen, Pippen won’t play without Jordan, Jordan won’t play without Jackson and Jackson won’t coach without both Pippen and Jordan.

In short, it’s the biggest puzzle in the history of the NBA.

Am I leaving somebody out? Well, the puzzle may be still a little tougher.

What about media slut Dennis Rodman?

Rodman, the league’s leading rebounder, chewed up $8 million last season.

It there enough money for four superstars?

Jackson says that Rodman is an intricate piece of the team. He says Rodman brings a certain toughness and unbounded energy to the Bulls that no other team has.

While this may be true, I have a hard time believing that Rodman is the key to the Bulls winning the NBA championship.

Does anybody remember the three-headed monster?

The triple threat of Will, Bill and Luc?

If you don’t, then you are not a true basketball fan, and I would like you to quit reading this column right now.

If you do remember, then you would know that the Bulls don’t need Rodman to succeed.

Cut Rodman and his technical fouls loose.

Say goodbye to the attention-monger and free up some more of that cash for Mr. Pippen.

In the end, I think that Krause will somehow find a way to bring the trio back together.

If he doesn’t, he will be the most hated man in Chicago history, and he had better lock his doors at night.

We’ll talk later.

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Chad Calek is a junior in journalism and mass communications from Persia, Iowa.