Michael Jordan Says Bobcats Called Thunder About James Harden

In a wide ranging Q&A, Michael Jordan opens up about a number of Charlotte Bobcats-related subjects. MJ says that his team inquired about James Harden‘s availability via trade, before Harden was sent to Houston. Per the Charlotte Observer: “Q: So you had heard some of the players grumbling about the 3-4 hour practices? A: ‘Yeah, I heard that and I saw it. Which is one of the reasons I went to watch practice. And I didn’t see anything that was different from when I played the game of basketball. I think the perception is a little bit different, maybe the expectation is a little bit different and this is where we’ve got to hold firm. This is what championship teams do. If we did it in Chicago and we became a championship team, why wouldn’t we want to do that here? If you turn your nose up to it, then maybe you need to look in the mirror and see that you’re a part of the problem….The next day, it seemed like everybody was on board. So I think they got it. I wanted them to hear it coming from management…. We’re going to do everything we can to upgrade and bring stability. Q: How do the current Bobcat players react to you? A: ‘I don’t have direct dialogue with them as much as I used to. I created a little bit more of a distance. I came from a different era. I look at things totally different than the way they do. I send subtle messages, I try to. But If I sit here and debate with them, I’m bringing myself down to their level in a sense. And I don’t want to get there…. Where I am is where they want to get to.’ […] Q: James Harden was just traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets. Were the Bobcats ever in the mix to acquire him? A: ‘We made a couple phone calls. That’s all I can say.’ Q: Do you still believe a major free agent would come to the Bobcats? A: ‘If the (collective bargaining agreement) operates the way it’s supposed to, there will be very few teams with the right cap space (to pursue major free agents). Hopefully we can start picking them off that way, by maintaining our flexibility. Maybe we can provide them with the financial reward most players are starting to look for. Hoping the CBA will work that way for small-market teams – some parity.'”