NEW YORK – Could Michael Jordan's next big acquisition for the
Washington Wizards be ... Michael Jordan?
Citing a source identified only as being "very close to Jordan,"
Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly reported in this week's edition the
former NBA great is "90 percent committed" to making a comeback next season
with the Wizards.
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Tue, March 13
While several sources confirm that Jordan has been working out more, he is doing nothing out of the ordinary to get himself back into basketball shape. He is playing pickup basketball a few times a week in Chicago – not with NBA caliber players – and is lifting weights. This is the same regimen Jordan had as a player.
Jordan has equity in the parent company that owns the Washington Capitals and has the right of first refusal to buy the Wizards from Abe Pollin. It is believed his stake in the company exceeds $50 million. He would have to sell his interest in all his holdings to be eligible to play under league rules. That would be in direct contrast to what Jordan has told others in the ownership group since he came aboard.
Jordan has not had conversations with Pollin or Wizards management about returning. And while the Wizards would love for him to return, he has put no timetable in place to sell or suspend his equity stake in the parent company.
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A Jordan comeback has been fueled by reports he is working out – with
some saying he was spending up to six hours a day in a gym to get back into
playing shape.
However, the SI report came under fire from Jordan himself and his agent, David Falk.
In Wednesday editions of the Washington Post, Jordan had this to say about Reilly's column and the comeback speculation in general.
"To run a basketball team with the motivation of coming back to play is against any rules or ethics out there," Jordan said. "I am working out because I got up to 240 pounds and I'm trying to lose weight.
"Playing basketball at a health club against, in essence, some weekend warriors, is the best way I know how to lose weight. People are taking this stuff way too far, but I can't control what people write or think, so I'm not going to address this any more."
Falk also discredited the SI story.
"I think that there is less than one-tenth of 1 percent of a chance
that Michael will play again in the NBA. When you hit the last shot in the
last second of his last game for a three-peat, how do you top that?" Falk
told the Boston Globe.
"He wouldn't play for the veteran minimum; he'd play for the Michael
Jordan minimum," Falk said. "And that would only come about if every team
chipped in $2 million or $3 million because that's how much it would mean.
But money isn't the issue. I wish you would print this so we can put an end
to all this foolishness."
Maureen Nassar, director of PR for the Washington Wizards, said as far as the team knows, there is no truth to the comeback report.
Nassar added the Wizards would love for Jordan to come back, but the team has not received any notice of a plan by Jordan to return.
Jordan told the Post that the main reason he has no intention of
playing is that he would have to sell his interest in the Wizards, which he
does not want to do. He owns between 5 percent and 10 percent of the team,
with the option of owning up to 20 percent.
Jordan told the Post on March 8 that a comeback "has not
crossed my mind, but I will never say never."
"The first time I said never, I ended up coming back, but I can say
that there's a 99.9 percent chance that I am not coming back," he said.
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ALSO SEE
May: Jordan's legacy should stop where it is
Around The Rim, March 14
Dr. Jack: Jordan comeback doubtful
Your thoughts on the Jordan comeback
Barkley says comeback a possibility if he's in shape
AUDIO VIDEO
 ESPN's David Aldridge says it's highly unlikely that Michael Jordan will come out of retirement.
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Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly discusses the possibility of another Michael Jordan comeback.
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During a February 8, 2001 interview, Michael Jordan rules out the chances of his return.
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