NBA great speaks out over claims one team is trying to lose in 2013-14.
Majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats Michael Jordan has rubbished suggestions his team are trying to do all it can to claim the number one pick in next year’s NBA draft.
The league was hit by a bombshell just before the first night of the season, when an anonymous general manager admitted his team were tanking this season.
Speculation then began to swirl as to which one of the league’s struggling teams it might be, but Jordan quickly ruled the Bobcats out, saying he does not believe taking is the best way to rebuild a team.
“I don’t know if some teams have thought of that. That’s not something that we would do. I don’t believe in that,” Jordan said.
He laughed heartily and said, “If that was my intention, I never would have paid (free agent) Al Jefferson $13 million a year.”
The middle ground in the NBA is perhaps the worst place to be.
If you scrap into a lower seed in the playoffs then it is likely you will become cannon fodder for one of the title contenders in either conference.
Miss out on the post season and it’s just as bad as you, along with teams seeded seven and eight, likely not get a chance to get a high draft pick.
And with the class of 2014 looking to be one of the deepest talent-wise since the 2003 draft which featured the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, teams are trying to get perhaps a franchise changing player.
Jordan, who has only enjoyed a 62-168 record in his three seasons as majority owner of Charlotte, said there was no guarantee any player would fulfill their potential, and as a result, he could not see the point in throwing away a season’s work on a maybe.
“It’s not guaranteed [the player] you are going to get is going to be that star anyway,” Jordan said.
“I did read that certain teams are thinking about doing it, but I’m not one of them. So let’s alleviate that conversation.”
COMMENTS