King Taharqa
02-23-2007, 09:10 PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Charlotte Bobcats owner Bob Johnson defended his spending policies Friday and said he has complete trust in Michael Jordan to run the team's basketball operations.
In a meeting with season-ticket holders prior to Charlotte's game with Philadelphia, Johnson bristled at criticism that he hasn't been willing to spend the money necessary to make the team a contender. The Bobcats, in their third season, have the lowest payroll in the league.
"We will pay for quality players. We will not pay for non-quality players," said Johnson, who indicated general manager Bernie Bickerstaff had not asked him to sign a high-priced free agent.
"It wasn't a situation where I was sitting around with a pocket full of money, saying, 'No, I want to keep the players we got," Johnson said.
Bickerstaff's role was reduced last June when Jordan bought a minority stake in the team and Johnson gave Jordan final say on all basketball decisions.
"If he says, 'Here's a change agent, this is who we should acquire,' then I've given him that complete control," Johnson said.
Jordan, a North Carolina native who won six NBA titles in the 1990s with the Chicago Bulls, has been virtually invisible in the city since buying a stake in the team. Jordan hasn't spoken to local reporters since June and even instructs arena staff not to show him on the video board when he attends home games.
But Johnson defended Jordan's style and indicated Jordan is planning to buy a home in Charlotte.
"He feels the responsibility of marketing, ticket sales should go to other people," Johnson said. "That's his core philosophy. He's probably no different than Denzel Washington. You never see Denzel Washington in a commercial because he says, 'I'm an actor.' Michael tends to look at it that way.
"Michael is as committed to this team as I am. He has considerable financial investment in the team. He's in charge of everything basketball. He has been focused on basketball and will continue to do that."
Johnson's meeting with about 200 fans was part of a weeklong blitz to help increase interest in the team. The Bobcats have struggled to attract fans still bitter over the Charlotte Hornets' departure for New Orleans in 2002. The Bobcats also announced Friday they will reduce some ticket prices next year in hopes of adding more than 2,000 season-ticket holders from this year's total of about 8,000.
High ticket prices is one of several missteps made by the Bobcats since Johnson was awarded the team four years ago. Johnson has fired several executives, including team president Ed Tapscott, and was forced to shut down a regional sports network he started.
Some fans remain skeptical that Johnson, who once indicated he wouldn't sign a high-priced player unless it could be proved that it would help the bottom line, will be willing to spend to make the Bobcats a playoff team. Charlotte entered Friday's play tied for last place in the Southeast Division.
Johnson said he's more than willing to write the big check, and said he would have last year but Bickerstaff decided against trying to sign free-agents Ben Wallace, Peja Stojakovic and Bonzi Wells.
"I am prepared. After I spent $300 million to acquire the team, probably another 10 percent more to start up the team, there's absolutely no reason why I'd have that much invested and not want to win," Johnson said to the fans.
"I am telling you now and you can tell all your friends, I will do everything that is possible to give you a winning franchise."
The Bobcats will enter this summer with Jordan, who struggled when he ran the Washington Wizards earlier this decade, in control.
"The free-agent market, this upcoming year, is still not that great," Johnson said. "But if we want to pay $18 million for Vince Carter, you have to think you'll be paying Vince for six or seven years. We have to make those choices.
"Next year, the person who is making that decision is Michael Jordan."
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/16770916.htm
In a meeting with season-ticket holders prior to Charlotte's game with Philadelphia, Johnson bristled at criticism that he hasn't been willing to spend the money necessary to make the team a contender. The Bobcats, in their third season, have the lowest payroll in the league.
"We will pay for quality players. We will not pay for non-quality players," said Johnson, who indicated general manager Bernie Bickerstaff had not asked him to sign a high-priced free agent.
"It wasn't a situation where I was sitting around with a pocket full of money, saying, 'No, I want to keep the players we got," Johnson said.
Bickerstaff's role was reduced last June when Jordan bought a minority stake in the team and Johnson gave Jordan final say on all basketball decisions.
"If he says, 'Here's a change agent, this is who we should acquire,' then I've given him that complete control," Johnson said.
Jordan, a North Carolina native who won six NBA titles in the 1990s with the Chicago Bulls, has been virtually invisible in the city since buying a stake in the team. Jordan hasn't spoken to local reporters since June and even instructs arena staff not to show him on the video board when he attends home games.
But Johnson defended Jordan's style and indicated Jordan is planning to buy a home in Charlotte.
"He feels the responsibility of marketing, ticket sales should go to other people," Johnson said. "That's his core philosophy. He's probably no different than Denzel Washington. You never see Denzel Washington in a commercial because he says, 'I'm an actor.' Michael tends to look at it that way.
"Michael is as committed to this team as I am. He has considerable financial investment in the team. He's in charge of everything basketball. He has been focused on basketball and will continue to do that."
Johnson's meeting with about 200 fans was part of a weeklong blitz to help increase interest in the team. The Bobcats have struggled to attract fans still bitter over the Charlotte Hornets' departure for New Orleans in 2002. The Bobcats also announced Friday they will reduce some ticket prices next year in hopes of adding more than 2,000 season-ticket holders from this year's total of about 8,000.
High ticket prices is one of several missteps made by the Bobcats since Johnson was awarded the team four years ago. Johnson has fired several executives, including team president Ed Tapscott, and was forced to shut down a regional sports network he started.
Some fans remain skeptical that Johnson, who once indicated he wouldn't sign a high-priced player unless it could be proved that it would help the bottom line, will be willing to spend to make the Bobcats a playoff team. Charlotte entered Friday's play tied for last place in the Southeast Division.
Johnson said he's more than willing to write the big check, and said he would have last year but Bickerstaff decided against trying to sign free-agents Ben Wallace, Peja Stojakovic and Bonzi Wells.
"I am prepared. After I spent $300 million to acquire the team, probably another 10 percent more to start up the team, there's absolutely no reason why I'd have that much invested and not want to win," Johnson said to the fans.
"I am telling you now and you can tell all your friends, I will do everything that is possible to give you a winning franchise."
The Bobcats will enter this summer with Jordan, who struggled when he ran the Washington Wizards earlier this decade, in control.
"The free-agent market, this upcoming year, is still not that great," Johnson said. "But if we want to pay $18 million for Vince Carter, you have to think you'll be paying Vince for six or seven years. We have to make those choices.
"Next year, the person who is making that decision is Michael Jordan."
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/16770916.htm