Today on The Whiteboard, we examine NBA Draft prospects, Ja Morant’s suspension and the disastrous legacy of Michael Jordan as an NBA owner.
This morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski announced that Michael Jordan had reached an agreement to sell his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets for an eye-popping $3 billion. That’s a pretty hefty return on his initial investment of $275 million.
Jordan became a minority owner of the Hornets in 2006 and took over as majority owner in 2010. Looking over his tenure it’s clear that generating a $2.7 billion profit is literally the only thing of note he accomplished.
The Charlotte Hornets have been consistently terrible under Michael Jordan
In the 17 seasons since Jordan bought into the Hornets (then Bobcats), they’ve made just three postseason appearances, winning a total of three games across those three first-round series. The team amassed a 563-784 record (a 0.417 win percentage) with just four winning seasons and no appreciable difference between the beginning of his tenure as a minority owner and the post-2010 era when he took over as majority owner.
Dive into the weeds, examine the high-level organizational and personnel decisions he likely had to weigh in on over the years and things look even more depressing.
Charlotte Hornets lottery picks in the Michael Jordan era:
- 2006 — Adam Morrison (3)
- 2007 — Brandan Wright (8)
- 2008 — D.J. Augustin (9)
- 2009 — Gerald Henderson (12)
- 2011 — Kemba Walker (9)
- 2012 — Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2)
- 2013 — Cody Zeller (4)
- 2014 — Noah Vonleh (9)
- 2015 — Frank Kaminsky (9)
- 2017 — Malik Monk (11)
- 2018 — Miles Bridges (12)
- 2019 — PJ Washington (12)
- 2020 — LaMelo Ball (3)
- 2021 — James Bouknight (11)
Charlotte Hornets major free-agent signings in the Michael Jordan era (since 2014):
- Nicolas Batum — 2016 — 5 years, $120 million
- Marvin Williams — 2016 — 4 years, $54.5 million
- Terry Rozier — 2019 — 3 years, $56.7 million
- Gordon Hayward — 2020 — 4 years, $120 million
- Kelly Oubre Jr. — 2021 — 2 years, $25 million
Charlotte Hornets coaches in the Michael Jordan era:
- Sam Vincent
- Larry Brown
- Paul Silas
- Mike Dunlap
- Steve Clifford
- James Borrego
- Steve Clifford
They drafted horribly. Made terrible decisions in free agency. Often favored veteran, retread coaches instead of trying something new. They’ll go into next season with LaMelo Ball and the No. 2 pick in the draft but precious little else to inspire confidence for the future.
When he took over, the thought was that he could transform the organization with the same skill and intensity he brought to the basketball court. Instead, he did it with the same skill and intensity he brought to the baseball diamond.
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Better know an NBA Draft prospect:
We’re less than two weeks away from the NBA Draft and as the top few picks begin to come together, it’s worth shifting some focus to prospects who could be selected later in the lottery or first-round. Over the next few days, we’ll share some brief capsules on several of these prospects. But don’t forget to check out Chris Kline’s excellent scouting reports for more details.
Brandin Podziemski
- Height: 6-foot-4
- Weight: 204 pounds
- Position: Shooting Guard
- Offensive Role: Spacer, secondary playmaker
- Defensive Role: Off-ball wing
- Projected Draft Range: 20-40
- Team with rumored interest: Warriors, Nets, Thunder, Clippers
- Scouting report summary: “Podziemski will absolutely face a learning curve in the NBA. He was the head of the snake at Santa Clara; in the NBA, he profiles as more of an ancillary piece. That should ultimately benefit him, however, as it will limit his weaknesses (one-on-one creation) and bolster his strengths (spot-up shooting, connective playmaking. Basketball I.Q. and sheer baseline competence make it easy to believe in Podziemski as an instant-impact role player at the next level.” — READ MORE
Scoot Henderson
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Weight: 195 pounds
- Position: Point guard
- Offensive Role: Lead initiator, go-to scorer
- Defensive Role: Point guard stopper
- Projected Draft Range: Top 3
- Team with rumored interest: Hornets, Trail Blazers, Raptors
- Scouting report summary: “He possesses the intangibles, the measurements, and the on-court reputation to win scouts of any franchise over. He has clear All-Star and even All-NBA potential, with the skill set necessary to one day rank near the top of the NBA in both points and assists. Henderson is the type of player who will have the ball in his hands frequently from day one, no matter who drafts him. He is a legitimate primary engine and the kind of player you can build a winner around.” — READ MORE
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Ja Morant’s suspension finally announced — 25 games
After delaying through the Finals, the NBA announced today that Ja Morant has been suspended for 25 games to begin next season. Here’s what you need to know:
- Why was he suspended? Morant was suspended for “intentionally and prominently” waving a gun on an Instagram Live video while riding in a car. This came after he was suspended for eight games last season for displaying a gun on an Instagram Live video from a Colorado strip club.
- What did Adam Silver say about the suspension? “Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games. The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.”
- What did Ja Morant say about the suspension? “I’ve had time to reflect and realize how much hurt I’ve caused. I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zack Kleiman, and Robert Pera — who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me — I’m sorry for the harm I’ve done. To the kids who look up to me, I’m sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I’m going to be better.”
- How much money will Morant lose because of the suspension? He will love $7.6 million in direct salary for missing 25 games. His previous suspension cost him nearly $700,000 and may have kept him from making the All-NBA team, an honor that could have added as much as $39 million to the value of his next contract.
Warriors find their Bob Myers replacement
Today the Warriors announced that Mike Dunleavy would replace Bob Myers as their next General Manager. Here’s what you need to know:
- Dunleavy has deep ties to the Warriors: He has been with the Warriors since 2018, first as a scout, then as assistant general manager and, most recently, vice president in charge of basketball operations. Dunleavy was selected by the Warriors with the No. 3 pick in the 2002 NBA Draft and played four-and-a-half seasons in Golden State.
- GM is a family business for the Dunleavys: His father, Mike Dunleavy Sr., served as general manager for both the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers.
- What did Warriors owner Kirk Lacob say about the hire: “He’s young and energetic, has established numerous relationships around the league and communicates well with players and coaches — all important traits in this business. Mike’s ready for this challenge and responsibility.”