CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- 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.''

Johnson paid $300 million for his yet-to-be-named team, which will begin play in 2004-05 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 'O.K., good luck.' If he wants to come to Charlotte, great.''

Johnson, founder of BET, 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 3½-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.

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.

"This was definitely my desire and intention,'' Jordan said in a statement. "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.''

Johnson also was surprised with the way the Wizards handled the situation.

"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 The Associated Press 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.

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.''