As the old saying goes, “you win some, you lose some.” Many, if not the majority of basketball fans, would argue that Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever and take it to their grave. While Jordan’s playing years were fruitful, his tenure as the owner of the Charlotte Hornets has not led to good harvests. In 2010, Jordan purchased a majority of what was then the Charlotte Bobcats and has not seen much success since.
After thirteen years of owning the organization, reports have surfaced about Jordan engaging in discussions about the six-time NBA champion selling the majority of his stakes in the franchise. Perhaps, Jordan has finally succumbed to the frustrations of his time in Charlotte.
ESPN Sources: Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan is engaged in serious talks to sell a majority stake in the franchise to a group led by Hornets minority owner Gabe Plotkin and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnall. pic.twitter.com/jg03W25s49
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 16, 2023
Aside from only making the playoffs twice– and getting eliminated in the first round both times– the Hornets under Jordan, have been drafting poorly. While plenty of NBA players flourish years after getting drafted, it is hard to ignore the poor selections made by the Hornets that left future stars on the table. Here is a timeline of Jordan’s poor draft choices.
2012: The Bobcats drafted Michael Kidd-Gilchrist second overall, ahead of Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard, and Andre Drummond.
2013: Charlotte drafted Cody Zeller as the fourth pick, leaving CJ McCollum and Giannis Anetokounmpo on the table.
2014: Charlotte selects Noah Vonleh four picks ahead of Zach LaVine.
2015: Hornets skip Devin Booker and Bobby Portis to draft Frank Kaminsky.
2015: Jordan rejected four first-rounders from the Boston Celtics to draft Frank Kaminsky. One of the picks turned out to be Jalen Brown.
Jordan struck gold once when the Bobcats drafted Kemba Walker in 2011, as he has become one of the more successful players the franchise has selected. Walker garnered four All-Star selections, including two in a Hornets uniform. However, Klay Thomspon, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler were drafted moments after Walker. Jordan got himself a franchise player again with LaMelo Ball in 2018, but the 21-year-old seems to be plagued by injuries, leaving the rest of the team confused on the floor.
According to reports, Jordan will keep minority stakes in the franchise if he successfully sells the larger fraction of his share. ESPN reports that Hornets minority owner Gabe Plotkin and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnall are among those in conversation with Jordan. Meanwhile the Hornets’ misfortunes continue as they sit on the 14th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 22-50 record.