 |
| |
|
 |
 |
|||||||||||
|
Where the heart is With Krause gone, Bulls should bring Jordan backPosted: Monday April 07, 2003 9:46 PM
When stuck on the road for any appreciable time, he talks wistfully of Chicago, until finally he openly shares the truth of his longings like a man wanting a secret out: He wishes the owners of the Chicago Bulls had asked him a year or two ago to be a partner and run their team, "so that I could have at least thought about their offer." Some things just belong in a certain place. The Louvre is in Paris. The Bolshoi is in Moscow. Carnegie Hall is in New York City. And Michael Jordan should be in Chicago. He never should have left, of course. But that’s old news. The important thing now, at least for the Bulls, is that the mistake can be corrected. With Jerry Krause having stepped down as Chicago’s general manager on Monday, owner Jerry Reinsdorf has a second chance to do what he should have done back in ’99: put Jordan in charge. How do we know MJ would want to return to the Windy City? We don’t. Jordan's friends say he isn’t talking. But judging from his past statements, there is little doubt he would listen. "I wish all my business connections were in Chicago, because that’s where my home and roots are," he told the Post two years ago, adding that he wouldn’t rule out an interest in buying into the Bulls someday. "If that situation is put on the table, I would sit down with [his Wizards partners] and say, 'Look, the Chicago team wants to sell. It’s a great fit for me; it’s my home. Washington has turned itself around and is headed in the right direction. What do you think?'" Jordan has no contractual obligation to the Wizards beyond this season. His five-year contract as vice president of basketball operations was voided two seasons ago when he decided to return to the court. He gave up his ownership stake at that time as well. No doubt the Bulls would need to cut Jordan a similar piece of the action. That means Reinsdorf and his partners would have to pay dearly -- Jordan’s share of the Wizards reportedly was worth as much as $50 million. But given how much revenue they have made over the past five years with a low payroll -- and the boost in equity Jordan’s presence would provide -- they surely could afford it. True, Jordan’s record as a GM has been somewhat spotty. His hiring of Leonard Hamilton as coach proved a mistake, and the jury is still out on Kwame Brown as the No. 1 overall pick. But Jordan knew enough to bring in Doug Collins to restore order last season, and he has helped make Washington a playoff-caliber team again. Last time we looked, the Wizards had a better record than the Bulls. Moreover, Jordan would bring the cachet back to the Chicago franchise. He would restore the championship swagger and reinvigorate its fan base. He might even be able to attract some big-name free agents. With Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall and a core of exciting young prospects in Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford and Jay Williams, Chicago already has some pieces. What the Bulls need now is direction. Who better than Jordan to provide it? Jordan doesn’t have to be a hands-on GM who scouts college games five nights a week. Like Joe Dumars, another high-profile former player with control over basketball operations, he can supply the vision and let trusted aides like Bulls assistant GM B.J. Armstrong or Wizards assistant GM Rod Higgins (another former Bull and a Chicago native) handle the daily grind. The important thing is that Jordan’s presence would make the Bulls an exciting franchise again. Put MJ in charge of basketball operations. Along with coach Bill Cartwright, Armstrong and broadcaster John Paxson, it would be like the old dynasty days in the Windy City. And if things don’t work out, they could always suit up. Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment. |
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||
