The Bobcats could spend the next three years treading water in Charlotte, mired in mediocrity or worse, while support for the franchise continues to erode and Jordan shirks more front office duties.
Or they can take the bold step, light the fuse and sign Iverson as a free agent next week, enjoying the fireworks that surely will follow when he and Brown renew their love/hate relationship.
If I told you that, "Kobe Bryant grew up idolizing MJ," you would undoubtedly nod your head and say, "Yes. I can easily see how Michael Jordan was a big influence on Mamba." But, as it turns out, 24 was also heavily influenced by the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Which seems weird, but, as Holly MacKenzie put it, also makes total sense: Jackson, for all his eccentricities, was a brilliant performer and the best at what he did. So it's not irrational at all to think that his work ethic and dedication to his craft inspired Bryant.
Jeff Jordan, most famous for being Michael Jordan's son, has decided to hang up the high-tops -- at least as far as competitive play goes. The 6-foot-1 incoming junior has decided to stop playing basketball and stay at the University of Illinois to concentrate solely on his academics.
Jordan, a player who won over the Illini coaches with his heady play and strong work ethic, was set to be a part of the Illinois rotation this coming season. He, unlike his Dad, was not an offensive threat, concentrating more on being a defensive stopper. Illinois head coach Bruce Weber offered some kind words for their now dearly departed.
It's hard to blame the Toronto Raptors for taking a 7-footer with 3-point range and the ability to play three positions. That's what Andrea Bargnani presented as the No. 1 pick. There was no clear-cut top choice. The 2006 NBA Draft was filled with unproven early entries, a couple of seasoned seniors and raw big men looking for a big payday.
So the Raptors took the player they thought had the best upside. Hey, the NBA Draft is about development these days, right? Nobody in this supposed weak draft was supposed to be an All-Star anyway, right? No one told that to Brandon Roy, who was passed up by five teams and traded by another. Finally, the Portland Trail Blazers, still ringing from a reputation of bad guys, car racers and dog fighters, had a franchise player in their hands, and he was from nearby Seattle.
There are any number of ways to compare NFL quarterbacks. Conventional stats, advanced stats, Pro Bowl appearances, Super Bowl rings, celebrity ladyfriends. And now: golf scores on U.S. Open set-ups.
There have been many debates over the MVP award over the last few years -- from Kobe v. LeBron to the merits of Steve Nash's back-to-back awards. You can debate all you want about who should have won each year's MVP, but it is clear that a particular season's MVP is no longer likely to have playoff success.
With LeBron James' elimination at the hands of the Orlando Magic, this season marks the eighth time this decade that the MVP hasn't won the championship, and the sixth time that the MVP hasn't even made it to the NBA Finals. Compare those numbers to the 1990s, when the winner of the MVP award made the NBA Finals seven times and the won the championship five times.
Since retiring from the NBA in 2000, John Salley has seemingly reinvented himself. From appearing in major motion pictures to co-hosting talk shows, "Spider" Salley is one of a few former athletes who has been able to make a living in Hollywood once his playing days were over.
Next week, Salley will star in NBC's 'I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!'. The reality show, which features 10 celebrities living in a Costa Rican jungle, premieres on Monday, June 1. Viewers will be able to vote for their favorite celebrity, a list which include former WWE diva Torrie Wilson and actor Stephen Baldwin, until only one remains at the end of the month.
FanHouse spoke to Salley about preparing for life in the jungle and the lack of toughness being allowed in this year's NBA playoffs. The full interview is below.
Johnson has been rumored to be looking to offload the struggling franchise for months, telling an Observer columnist last month he's not terribly interested in running a basketball team and hoping minority owner/team president Michael Jordan would pony up. (Apparently, MJ is not breaking open the piggy bank.)
ATLANTA -- Some comparisons will last forever: Ginger or Mary Ann, Coke or Pepsi, Hertz or Avis, Rowan or Martin, Wrigley or Fenway.
LeBron or Michael.
How about LeBron AND Michael? And, no, this doesn't refer to the esteemed Mr. James and Mr. Jordan as players, especially since they reached that solar system beyond the basketball elite in different ways.
It was big news last October when LeBron James showed up at an American League playoff game between the Yankees and Indians in his home state of Ohio sporting a Yankees' cap. It was big news when he co-hosted an NBA All-Star Weekend party last February with Nets part owner Jay-Z. It was big news when a month later Nike announced it would introduce a new shoe endorsed by LeBron and festooned with Yankees pinstripes that would be available only in New York.
It all added up, many observers speculated, to a sooner-than-later departure from Ohio to the bright lights and big stage of Madison Avenue by Ohio's favorite basketball-playing son. King James was too big for Cleveland, they harrumphed, and could only fully sprout plying his talent in the Big Apple.
Michael Jordan still hasn't created the buzz that the Charlotte Bobcats need to be relevant again.
FanHouse fixes a decade of draft-day blunders in 
There have been many debates over the MVP award over the last few years -- from Kobe v. LeBron to the merits of 
Since retiring from the NBA in 2000, 
Anyone have $325-350 million laying around? That's the price Black Entertainment Television founder 
ATLANTA -- Some comparisons will last forever: Ginger or Mary Ann, Coke or Pepsi, Hertz or Avis, Rowan or Martin, Wrigley or Fenway.
It was big news last October when 
