Michael Jordan knows speculation of his possible comeback could become a sideshow distraction to the Washington Wizards, and he told the Washington Post he will try to avoid such a circus.
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However, he isn't going to put the basketball world out of its misery yet. In fact, he plans to step up his workouts to see where his game is at, he told the newspaper.
"At some point I have to go ahead and keep the question from being a nagging situation," Jordan said. "The curiosity is going to increase. I hope to jump ahead of that before it gets to a point where it affects what we're trying to do."
Jordan, the team's president of basketball operations, said he was unable to gauge his progress toward a comeback when he practiced twice during minicamp last weekend. He said he didn't know when he would announce his decision. The team begins training camp Oct. 3.
Jordan, 38, and retired for three seasons, did not indicate which way he was leaning in his comeback decision. Instead, he said that no one should read anything into his recent workouts other than him seeing where he stood physically. Jordan suffered fractured ribs last month and has been unable to exercise much.
"I wanted to play against some guys who I knew were probably in pretty good shape and were hungry," Jordan said. "It's better than playing with some guys who probably have been taking some time off and aren't in as good of shape."
Coach Doug Collins and several players said Jordan was dominant in the practices with mostly draft picks and free agents.
"He makes the game look so easy," Collins said. "He never wastes any motion. Michael almost plays the game as if he's watching it in slow motion."
Jordan said he has resumed conditioning work and would begin lifting weights next week if he gets clearance from doctors that his ribs won't be aggravated. He added that he would wear a protective flak jacket when he begins scrimmaging again.
Jordan had been playing with NBA and college players daily for weeks before the rib injury, which reportedly occurred when he got tangled up with Chicago Bulls swingman Ron Artest in a scrimmage.
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