ducks
10-07-2003, 07:34 PM
Stern wants Jordan back in league
NEW YORK -- Michael Jordan continues on his quest to become the owner of an NBA team, but it doesn't appear the New Jersey Nets will be his franchise to run.
Jordan was contacted several days ago about buying the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions, Tuesday's New York Daily News reported, when the team's financials were sent out to prospective buyers. A source close to the situation, however, doesn't believe Jordan is interested, according to the Daily News.
"If Jordan was interested, he would have been all over this," the source told the newspaper. "But it's not very probable that he's going to get involved. There's a lot of heavy lifting involved here."
That heavy lifting would include taking control of a team wracked by operating losses and in need of a new arena. Jordan would also have to beat out other deep-pocketed potential ownership groups -- real estate mogul Bruce Ratner, New York Islanders owner Charles Wang and New Jersey businessman Charles Kushner all reportedly are interested. Offers are expected to be made by the end of October, according to the report.
Earlier this year, Jordan was involved in discussions to buy the Milwaukee Bucks, but that plan was scuttled when current owner Sen. Herb Kohl took the team off the market. More recently, Jordan turned down a position in the expansion Charlotte Bobcats' front office.
NBA commissioner David Stern remains interested in bringing Jordan back into the league in a management capacity.
"It's something that I'm involved in," Stern, when asked about Jordan's future, said Monday during a conference call. "I continue to think that he will be back in the league. It's fair to say that it's something that's being worked on and thought about on a continuing basis."
link (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1626893)
NEW YORK -- Michael Jordan continues on his quest to become the owner of an NBA team, but it doesn't appear the New Jersey Nets will be his franchise to run.
Jordan was contacted several days ago about buying the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions, Tuesday's New York Daily News reported, when the team's financials were sent out to prospective buyers. A source close to the situation, however, doesn't believe Jordan is interested, according to the Daily News.
"If Jordan was interested, he would have been all over this," the source told the newspaper. "But it's not very probable that he's going to get involved. There's a lot of heavy lifting involved here."
That heavy lifting would include taking control of a team wracked by operating losses and in need of a new arena. Jordan would also have to beat out other deep-pocketed potential ownership groups -- real estate mogul Bruce Ratner, New York Islanders owner Charles Wang and New Jersey businessman Charles Kushner all reportedly are interested. Offers are expected to be made by the end of October, according to the report.
Earlier this year, Jordan was involved in discussions to buy the Milwaukee Bucks, but that plan was scuttled when current owner Sen. Herb Kohl took the team off the market. More recently, Jordan turned down a position in the expansion Charlotte Bobcats' front office.
NBA commissioner David Stern remains interested in bringing Jordan back into the league in a management capacity.
"It's something that I'm involved in," Stern, when asked about Jordan's future, said Monday during a conference call. "I continue to think that he will be back in the league. It's fair to say that it's something that's being worked on and thought about on a continuing basis."
link (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1626893)