Jun. 29, 2003. 07:16 PM Kohl decides not to sell Bucks to Jordan MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl has decided not to sell the team to Michael Jordan. Kohl said Sunday that he had extensive negotiations with Jordan but that he doesn't want to part with the team right now. "On balance, I simply decided that I am not yet prepared to sell the team at this time," the senator said in a statement released by the team. Kohl, D-Wis. said he would continue to own the team, "improve them, and commit them to remaining in Wisconsin." Previously, Kohl had said he was willing to sell the team he bought for $18 million in 1985, with the stipulation that any new owner must agree to keep the team in Milwaukee. Messages left with Jordan's spokeswoman, Estee Portnoy, were not returned. Bucks spokeswoman Cheri Hanson said no one was available to comment further. Jordan is a five-time NBA most valuable player and was a member of six Chicago Bulls championship teams. He retired as a player in October 1993, came back in March 1995, and retired again in January 1999. Jordan joined the Washington Wizards in January 2000 as an executive and part owner. But he gave up his ownership stake, as NBA rules required, to return to the court as a Wizards player in September 2001, then played two seasons for Washington before retiring again after last season. Bucks coach George Karl was in Greece Sunday, but his agent, Bret Adams, said he would be pleased with the news. "I know George's feelings towards Senator Kohl have always been very positive and I'm sure George will be very happy that Senator Kohl will be maintaining ownership of the team," Adams said. Karl is heading into a lame-duck season under the two-year contract extension that pays him $7 million US a year. Earlier Sunday, the Bucks announced they had released general manager Ernie Grunfeld from the final year of his contract so he could pursue other positions in the NBA. He was earning $1.5 million a year. Grunfeld has been rumoured as a candidate for president of basketball operations with the Washington Wizards. Wizards spokeswoman Nicole Hawkins declined comment Sunday. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday. Kohl said in his statement that Jordan would make a good NBA owner and that he has encouraged him to continue searching for another ownership opportunity in the league. "I was also impressed with the quality of the professionals that he was prepared to engage had we gone forward, as well as his willingness to make every effort to keep the team in Wisconsin," Kohl said.
Mike will own a team. the senator knows what he's got in TJ and decided not to sell. seriously though, i am really hoping that they can s&t GP for some good young, athletic players for TJ to distribute the rock to.
I highly doubt Kohl nixed the deal because of TJ Ford. Yeah TJ Ford might turn out to be all that, but he will never be the money making machine in the mold of Ming and Lebron. I think people in Texas are getting just a wee bit carried away with TJ Ford.
I am not that sorry for Jordan with all his previous success, but I would have been burned at Kohl for being such a tease.
It's good that Kohl didn't sell the Bux to M.J. because it would've given him yet another team to run into the ground as he did the Wiz. Mike as a player was one of the greatest, but Mike as a front office type/owner? Give me a break.
I disagree on both ends. I think Mj was a great player, but probably the most over protected and over rated player in history. On the other hand, I think it is WAY too early to make a final call on his exec abilities, or the moves he made, although none of them seemed all that good to me at the time.
I disagreed. MJ is not an overated player at all, he deserves whatever accolates he had won. Can you elaborate on what you mean by over protected? I agreed that no one can really judge MJ's exec ability. From what I learned about MJ, he has all the qualities that make a good GM except one thing: he does not have the patience to run a team. He's been trying to get instant result in Washington. He should know better than thinking a playoff team can be built by throwing together some used to be & some wanna be players together, a good team is one that become a good team through time.
Jordan getting fired as Wizards president + Jordan unable to buy Bucks = Comeback #3 I think, I might have lost count
I'm sure Jordan is desperately wanting to strike back and prove he can be a successul owner or GM & kick Wiz's As* in the NBA
