Much has been said about the less-than-ideal relationship between Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls front office during the latter part of his playing days with the franchise. Still, he expected that the Bulls would consider offering him a high-level executive role or a stake in the ownership once he hung up his sneakers.
In January 2000, a year after he retired as a player, Jordan joined the Washington Wizards as part-owner and president of basketball operations. Later that year, he admitted feeling puzzled that the Bulls never gave him a call when other organizations did.
Advertisement
"These deals of ownership started coming to me, starting with Charlotte and the most puzzling thing is that for the next year, people were bringing me deals ... and still, Chicago never called. Not that I would have taken it, but it was never on the table," MJ said.
It's unclear why "His Airness" would even think that his former team would be interested in a reunion shortly after a bitter parting of ways in 1998.
Sure, he delivered six championships to the city in a span of eight years. However, his acrimonious relationship with then-general manager Jerry Krause wasn't that much of a secret within and outside the organization. Their beef never ended, with Jordan continuing to paint a bad image of the late basketball executive in "The Last Dance."
Advertisement
MJ also didn't have a rosy relationship with the Bulls owner at the time, Jerry Reinsdorf. While they were at least civil with each other during the early years of their partnership, it deteriorated over time and came to a head when Reinsdorf refused to commit to paying to keep the roster intact in 1997 amid Chicago's attempt to complete a second three-peat.
So, in hindsight, Jordan's anticipation of a call from the Bulls as his interest in transitioning into a front-office role became known around the NBA may have been a bit misguided. After all, why would Reinsdorf and Krause even entertain the idea of bringing in a likely hostile addition to the management group?
Funnily enough, Chicago was better off staying away from its former superstar, given how his tenure as an executive with the Wizards and, eventually, the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets turned out.
Advertisement
As the part-owner and a player for Washington, the team couldn't reach the playoffs in any season. Then, with Charlotte, they advanced to the postseason just three times and never made it past the first round. The franchise also etched its name in the history books for the wrong reason during the Jordan era, including registering a .106 winning percentage, the worst all-time, in the 2011-12 season.
It's safe to say Jordan won't return to the NBA in any role, since his legacy as an owner or executive differs completely from his GOAT status as a player. Poor coaching hires, the selections of draft busts and overpaying players in free agency marred his tenures with the Wizards and Bobcats/Hornets.
Had the Bulls reconnected with him in 2000, it's tough to imagine the team developing into a perennial playoff contender as it had become by the 2004-05 season. Perhaps the only interesting turn of events would have been Mike coming back as a player for the Bulls rather than the Wizards.
Advertisement
Related: Bob Costas reflects on narrating Michael Jordan’s iconic Game 6 game-winner in Utah
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Get the latest news, highlights, and connect with fellow fans