When Michael Jordan responded to critics of his team management in 2010 interview: "They're not the ones who have to make the tough decisions"

Michael Jordan responded to critics of his career in team management in a 2010 interview with NBA.com. Jordan was fresh off of becoming the majority owner of the then-Charlotte Bobcats. He was a successful basketball player, but his stint as an executive for the Washington Wizards and the Bobcats was heavily panned.

"His Airness" was not worried about criticism because, at the end of the day, he's the one making tough decisions for the franchise. Jordan pointed out that he succeeded in Washington from a business standpoint. He brought the team under the salary cap after just three seasons, but most people like to talk about him drafting Kwame Brown in 2001.

"I tend not to worry about the critics, because they're not the ones who have to make the tough decisions," Jordan said. "When I first got to Washington, people didn’t understand the financial position that team was facing. In Washington, we put together a five year plan that included clearing huge salaries off the books to create cap flexibility, and building a roster that would become a playoff contender.

"In just three years, we went from almost $22 million over the cap to more than $8 million under, and traded veterans with big contracts for young talent. In year five, with a roster made up mostly of guys we brought in, they made the playoffs."

Michael Jordan was fired by the Washington Wizards in 2003 after his final retirement. Jordan became a minority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats three years later and was named a managing member of basketball operations.

One of Jordan's worst moves as an executive was drafting Adam Morrison third overall in 2006. Morrison had a solid collegiate career at Gonzaga, but Jordan passed on several players, including Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, JJ Redick, Rajon Rondo, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Millsap.

Jordan's tenure as the majority owner of the Hornets has been uneventful. They selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist over Damian Lillard in 2012. They have only made the playoffs three times and have not won a single postseason series.

However, the team finally made the right choice in 2020 by drafting LaMelo Ball. They surrounded him with talent and made it to the play-in tournament in 2021 and 2022.

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Why did Michael Jordan buy the Charlotte Hornets?

Michael Jordan at the 2016 NBA All-Star Game

In the same interview back in 2010, Michael Jordan revealed why he bought the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan explained that it was his dream to own an NBA team once his basketball career was over. That team being in Charlotte, his hometown, was just an added bonus.

"After I stopped playing basketball, my dream was to become the majority owner of a team," Jordan said. "Not just a minority owner, so I kept my options open in case Bob (Johnson) didn't want to sell.

"But the Carolinas are home, and I think that coming back and doing all I can to build a competitive team and provide a great experience is a good way of giving back to the fans who have supported me throughout my career."