Michael Jordan’s reputation as the greatest NBA player of all-time is still very much untouched, despite him retiring over two decades ago. The man who led the Chicago Bulls to six titles, Jordan developed from an athletic phenomenon into a cold-blooded basketball genius who used his IQ and processing of the game to stay ahead of everyone.
But while he can be counted as a savant on the court, his forays into the ownership world and running things as head of basketball operations have been less than successful. Jordan became part owner of the Charlotte Hornets back in 2006, and the franchise have struggled for any real relevancy ever since, struggling to make the playoffs and drafting poorly.
In fact, under Jordan’s tenure as majority owner, the Hornets never once won a playoff series, while in the lockout-shortened 2011/2012 campaign, they finished with the worst single-season record in NBA history in terms of winning percentage with just seven wins and 59 defeats.
In August 2023, Jordan would sell his majority stake in the Hornets to a group of investors, but would retain a minority share in the ownership of the team. While the Bulls legend didn’t quite crack the code of turning around a franchise into a successful one from off-the-court, he may well have eyes on another tantalising prospect in the future.
As NBA commissioner Adam Silver continues to suggest he would be open to an expansion team in the future, Jordan’s comments on the matter hint that one of basketball’s GOATs could get involved in the bidding process.
Michael Jordan Revealed Where He Would Love to Own a New NBA Franchise
In an interview with Marvin R. Shanken, Jordan first outlined that his dream would be to own the Bulls, but that the presence of Jerry Reinsdorf meant it was something that was unlikely to progress any further.
I would love to own the Chicago Bulls because of what the franchise provided to me. It would give me the opportunity to move it further into a successful program. But I do understand that Jerry Reinsdorf is a good owner. He is a very good businessman. He has a family that enjoys the game of basketball. And I totally understand his maintaining his ownership of the Bulls.
Reinsdorf would become owner and chairman of the Bulls in 1985, and has remained at the helm ever since, including when Jordan delivered the franchise’s six titles during the 1990s. So, when he was then asked about him looking at other options outside the Bulls, Jordan had this to say.
I would love to look at other scenarios and see what from an economic standpoint best suits me.
Shanken then brought up the fact Jordan was going to be involved in a real estate venture in Las Vegas, and wondered if that would be a prospect he would be interested in.
I’d love to own a franchise in Las Vegas. But who wouldn’t? The opportunity it provides just from being in Las Vegas creates a great economic situation. But it’s not just Michael Jordan who would find that attractive. You could find a lot of other potential owners or investors who’d like to own a team in Las Vegas. Will it happen? I don’t know.
Michael Jordan Will Keep a Close Eye on Adam Silver’s Expansion Plans
The topic of expansion has been on the agenda for quite a while, and fans particularly in cities like Seattle and Las Vegas have been clamouring for the NBA to start proceedings. Silver most recently commented on the situation in July earlier this year, admitting that while analysis is underway on whether expansion is feasible, there still remains a long way to go before such a dream is realised.
A lot of analysis still needs to be done and nothing’s been predetermined one way or another, and without any specific timeline. We’re going to be as thorough as possible and look at all the potential issues.​​​​​​​ We’re now engaging in this in-depth analysis, something we weren’t prepared to do before.
But beyond that, as I said, it’s really day one of that analysis. In terms of price, potential timeline — too early to say. And again, I think that also assumes the outcome of this analysis. It is truly a complicated issue.
As Jordan himself points out, owning a potential NBA franchise based in Vegas could prove to be very lucrative given the economic benefits of doing so. The city has already established itself as an NBA market by hosting games from the Summer League and the NBA Cup, while from an off-the-court point of view, its high tourism numbers and potential to either share existing arenas or plan for future development, make it that much more attractive.
Whether Jordan would still be interested in owning a team if and when it does become possible remains to be seen, but you would think he would certainly consider putting his name in the hat.
