Jordan knows exactly what he said to Abe Pollin a few months after Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, during the last NBA lockout, back when he was a player in the forefront of the union’s negotiations. “If you can’t make a profit, you should sell your team,” he reportedly shouted at the then-74-year-old who had owned the Bullets/Wizards franchise for as long as Jordan had been alive.
And now that Jordan, as principal owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, is reportedly leading a faction of hardline owners pressing the league to accept no compromise, to not budge further than the debated 50-50 split, to take his franchise’s supposed setbacks out of the players’ hides in the exact way he denied owners during his previous life … no way, he hasn’t forgotten that.
Full Story: Sporting News
Michael Jordan instead of helping end the NBA lockout might actually extend it. Check below for some player reactions.
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/90/90/2013/05/trick1.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/90/90/2013/05/jj.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/90/90/2013/05/an2.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/90/90/2013/05/kwww.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/category_images/rick-ross.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/category_images/fabolous.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/90/90/2013/05/sw1.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.rtny.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/90/90/2013/05/mouse.jpg)
i can’t say i’m surprised, this the same MJ we all know he just playing for the other side now
Jordan is just looking out for his own interest and investments. It’s just business. Its funny how NBA players say they love the game but when the money goes the passion for the game goes right out the window. I wanna see basketball this season too but with both sides trying to go all or nothing I doubt we see anything this season.
Not sure why players are complaining about MJ, he’s not being a hypocrite in my eyes…he’s just on the other side of the fence. Let’s all be honest, today’s players are significantly over paid. There’s only a handful of players who deserve their respective salary, the wades, lebrons, kobes, cp3 etc…but then the rest of the players, like Derek Fisher gets paid more than what Scotti Pippen got paid…what does that tell you??? c’mon man, most of today’s players are bugging and are being cry babies…MJ player for free while on the wizards, what happened to ‘for the love of the game’….and MJ didn’t really start getting paid what he deserved until he’s last 3 years, before that he was grossly getting underpaid…as the face of the league and all the revenue he was bringing in world wide…
lucky for him he had AD money…lol.
The Derek Fisher/Scotty Pippen comparison is weak because Derek was a huge component for the Lakers winning, especially their last two championships. He earned his paychecks. Now if you want to talk about players like Kwame Brown (who Jordan picked as #1 in the draft), Eddy Curry, and losers like that making more than they should have well that would be valid.
But the vast majority of players do NOT make that kind of money. The median salary for the nba is $2.3 million…meaning HALF of players makes less than this. And aside from the lebrons, dwades, kobes and the like, I doubt the other half is making much more.
MJ need to take his own advice. Sell the team if you can’t make money.
Wait, you just totally skewed your comment, by saying “the median salary for the NBA is $2.3 million…meaning HALF of players makes less than this”????????????????? WTF?? you didn’t finish..and the other half make either that or more – correct? Now, how many of those that make 2.3 million dollars annually deserve that money? Derek Fisher in no way shape or form, whether he contributed or not, should be getting paid what he’s getting paid…he’s a 4th tier player for crying out loud. There are better players in the league who get paid less than he does and are on smaller market teams. During the 2010-11 season D. Fisher was paid 3.7 million dollars, while in Utah 5.8 million. Do you know how much Scottie Pippen was getting paid during the bulls last run 96-98??$2.9,$2.2,$2.7 million dollars for those 3 years. Derek Fisher is not and will not ever be a HOF, so for him to get paid those figures is sacrilege.
All these players are all benefiting from what MJ did to the league and how much he globalized the NBA. For them not agree on a 50/50 deal is crazy.
The way I would do it would be.
Tier 1 Players – Receive 55-50 of BRI
all others 50/50.
The reason I do that, is because if you wanna get paid, you have to work. 4/5ths of these players, get their 6 year 100+million dollar contracts and cruise and claim injuries…*cough Joe Johnson, Arenas etc*..
BRI should get paid highest to those bringing money to the league and is no secret that is the LBJs, Kobe’s Wades etc…aside from that I’m sorry, we’re splitting – simple as that.