Michael Jordan can have a job with Robert Johnson's NBA expansion franchise if he wants one.
Jordan and Johnson spoke on the telephone Wednesday shortly after the Washington Wizards told Jordan they didn't want him back as president of basketball operations.
"Absolutely I want him to be involved," Johnson told The Associated Press. "He can play any role he wants to play, frankly."
PHOTO: REUTERS
Johnson paid US$300 million for his yet-to-be-named team, which will begin play in 2004-2005 and replace the Hornets, who left for New Orleans last year.
Johnson has said he's willing to take on investors but remain majority owner. So Jordan will have his pick of roles should he and Johnson work out a deal.
The first meeting they have, Johnson said, will be about figuring out what Jordan wants to do next.
"We'll get together as soon as possible and talk not only about Charlotte, but also about what he wants to do," Johnson said. "Whatever we do together, it can't hurt our friendship. So if he decides he wants to go somewhere else, I'll say `OK, good luck.' If he wants to come to Charlotte, great."
Johnson met Jordan 12 years ago at a Chicago Bulls game. The two have been friends ever since and Johnson was expected to try to bring the NBA's most popular player into his newest venture.
But Jordan had to first settle things in Washington, which was ultimately done for him by Wizards owner Abe Pollin.
Jordan had a 3 1/2-year tenure with the Wizards, the last two as a player. Now, he's a free agent again. And one of the first calls Jordan made was to Johnson.
"He just called to say `Hey, I wanted to let you know what decision has been made. When you get a chance, let's talk,'" Johnson said. "We're friends. It won't take us very long to get together."
Jordan's hasty departure from the Wizards came as somewhat of a surprise.
Disappointed with the team's poor record and embarrassed by infighting on and off the court, Pollin told Jordan of the decision in a short morning meeting at the team's arena.
Michael speaks
Jordan was the Wizards' president before coming out of retirement to play for them the past two years. He retired for good last month and was expected to return to the team's front office. In a prepared statement, Jordan said:
"I came to Washington 3 1/2 years ago excited about the challenge of turning around this franchise. During my tenure, I dedicated myself to bringing excitement, credibility and my love of the game of basketball to Washington. It was well understood that when I finished playing, I would return as president of basketball operations and this was definitely my desire and intention.
"However, today, without any prior discussion with me, ownership informed me that it had unilaterally decided to change our mutual long-term understanding. I am shocked by this decision, and by the callous refusal to offer me any justification for it.
"I want to thank the fans for the support I received during my 3 1/2 years here. I have never backed down from a challenge, and I'm disappointed that I wasn't given the opportunity to make this franchise one of proud tradition. I will never forget the outpouring of affection I received from the fans."
Bad manners
"For a guy like Michael, who has contributed so much to the game, so much to the Wizards' organization -- the way it happened lacked diplomatic style and class," Johnson said. "I don't begrudge any owner firing anybody.
"But if you are going to do something like that ... to someone who may be sitting across the table at a Board of Governor's meeting, class and style dictate you don't handle it that way.''
A Wizards source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP that Pollin's decision was based on three factors: player dissension, a franchise faltering after the years of Jordan in charge, and deteriorating relationships throughout the organization.
Johnson would not assess what kind of job he thought Jordan did during his time in Washington.
"I wasn't there," he said. "But he knows more about basketball than I can learn in 100 lifetimes."
Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s, but never came close to duplicating that success in Washington.
No bird
Now, he could come aboard an expansion team that will have to be built from the ground up. It's a job Larry Bird really wanted, but lost out when the NBA awarded the Charlotte franchise to Johnson instead of Bird's group. Johnson has ruled out hiring Bird.
So far, Johnson has made just one significant hire in Ed Tapscott, who was hired in January as executive vice president.
Tapscott came highly recommended by Jordan, Johnson said.
Like his relationship with Jordan, Johnson has a longtime friendship with Tapscott. The two met nearly two decades ago when Tapscott's wife worked at BET.
Tapscott was expected to be the architect of the franchise, but Jordan could now take over that role if he wants it. Johnson said he was confident Jordan and Tapscott could work together should Jordan want to run basketball operations.
"When I started looking for someone to build this organization, I turned to Michael as a friend and he had Eddie at the top of a very short list," Johnson said. "They can work together like a hand and a glove."
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was