Michael Jordan is one of the most accomplished players in basketball. He is mostly remembered for his years of success with the Chicago Bulls. However, his time with the Washington Wizards is often underrated. Although he didn’t win any championships in DC, he did bring a level of stability to the organization. Having brought in close to $40,000,000 in profits, MJ, who, by 2003, was the Director of Basketball Operations was expecting to be rewarded for his efforts, as revealed in the book, Michael Jordan: The Life. Instead, he was rudely fired from his position.
Advertisement
After his second retirement in 1998, Jordan returned to the NBA three years later with the Washington Wizards. It was a huge move that marked a new milestone in His Airness’ life. That being said, his time in the capital did not have the effect many were hoping for. The Wizards were nothing short of lackluster and it was this reason that led to his unceremonious exit from the franchise.
Michael Jordan who was expecting to be rewarded for his efforts, was instead fired from his position with the Washington Wizards
Back in 2001, Michael Jordan announced his return to the NBA joining the Washington Wizards. The announcement came at a time when the Wizards were in a tough position. However, the arrival of Jordan saw a drastic change in the franchise, one that on paper was extremely fruitful.
His Airness brought immediate change to the team. As the Director of Basketball Operations, Jordan moved things around with the team. Getting rid of some disastrous contracts, he helped move the Wizards out of a sticky financial situation. Additionally, he even played for two years on a minimum salary of close to $1,000,000 per year, which improved the situation even further.
This inevitably led to a huge upside for the organization, as it was estimated that his presence brought in close to $40,000,000 in profits. As such, in 2003, when he headed into a meeting with then-Wizards owner Abe Pollin, he expected to be rewarded. However, on the contrary, Pollin instead made the decision to send the six-time NBA Champion packing.
“Despite the Times story, Jordan walked into his meeting with Pollin after the season fully expecting to be rewarded for all he had done. After all, the franchise had been in miserable financial shape when he got there. Jordan and his people had rid the team of several disastrous player contracts and cleared up the financial situation, allowing the team to acquire younger players. He had played two years for a minimal salary, which he had given to charity. All the while, the team had enjoyed sellout after sellout every night he played, an unprecedented attendance record that helped the franchise erase its losses and rake in an estimated $30 to $40 million in profits.”
It was unexpected, to say the least. Jordan had done so much for the franchise, and his reward was his termination papers. Nevertheless, that was 20 years ago, and now his time in Washington is looked back on fondly.
MJ joined the Wizards because he wanted to test his mettle on the management side
Many were bewildered by Michael Jordan’s decision to join the Washington Wizards in 2000. While many believed, it was his undying love for basketball, Jordan actually came out of retirement for more than just that. The Hall of Famer was interested in getting into the basketball operations side of things and as such saw a stint with the Wizards as his perfect opportunity.
It certainly was an interesting testing ground for MJ. And, while he did not find much success there, it did give him the confidence to run his own franchise. Thus, leading to his purchase of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010.
