In a stunning turnaround, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said Sunday that he had decided against selling the Milwaukee Bucks to Michael Jordan and would "continue to own them, improve them and commit them to remaining in Wisconsin."
Kohl's abrupt announcement came after weeks of intense local and national speculation that the retired basketball superstar had reached a tentative agreement to buy the team or was about to do so. The announcement would have to be considered a huge disappointment for Jordan.
Kohl's announcement capped an afternoon in which the Bucks released general manager Ernie Grunfeld from the last year of his contract, allowing Grunfeld to pursue what is expected to be a similar position with the Washington Wizards. That move immediately raised questions about the future of the basketball operations of the franchise.
Assistant general manager Larry Harris, the son of former Bucks coach Del Harris, was named acting general manager.
Jordan ended his playing career this season with the Wizards, then was fired by owner Abe Pollin as Jordan was poised to take over that team's basketball operations. Jordan had high hopes of becoming an owner in the National Basketball Association.
Via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Expansion
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Ernie Grunfeld's job is done with the Milwaukee Bucks.
But it appears likely his days with the Washington Wizards are just beginning.
Bucks owner Herb Kohl released Grunfeld from the final year of his general manager's contract Sunday, just a few hours before Kohl announced that the National Basketball Association team was no longer for sale.
With Grunfeld officially out, the Bucks named Larry Harris as acting general manager. The 40-year-old Harris has been with the Bucks organization in various positions since 1990, and has served as assistant general manager to Grunfeld since August 2001.
Grunfeld is expected to interview for the Wizards' president of basketball operations position, a job once held by Michael Jordan. Wizards owner Abe Pollin has targeted the 48-year-old Grunfeld as the man to resurrect the moribund Washington franchise, which has not reached the playoffs since 1997.
Via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards
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The Milwaukee Bucks yesterday released General Manager Ernie Grunfeld from the final year of his contract, allowing him to begin official negotiations with the Washington Wizards about their vacant president of basketball operations job.
If hired, Grunfeld would assume the job left vacant by Michael Jordan, who yesterday was no longer a candidate to purchase the Milwaukee franchise. The Bucks' owner, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), pulled out of negotiations to sell the team to Jordan, who played for the past two seasons with Washington before being rebuffed by Wizards owner Abe Pollin in an attempt to regain his front-office job as president of basketball operations. Jordan held the top basketball executive post from January 2000 to September 2001, before coming back to play.
The move to hire Grunfeld has been in the works for days.
"I have one year left on my contract and the Bucks graciously have allowed me to resign and seek employment," Grunfeld said in a statement released by the Bucks.
Grunfeld and his agent were expected to begin talks with Pollin right away. League sources recently said a deal could be finalized by early this week -- maybe as soon as today -- and Grunfeld could be with the Wizards by the time the free agent negotiating period gets underway Tuesday.
The team has called a news conference for 2:30 p.m. today at MCI Center. Initially it was to introduce draft picks Jarvis Hayes and Steve Blake, but the media advisory regarding the news conference gave no specifics about the topic of the assembly. The only other candidates for the basketball operations job known to have spoken to the Wizards are attorney and former University of Maryland star Len Elmore and NBA official and Hall of Fame player Bob Lanier.
Via Washington Post
Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks
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Wizards Jun 2003 Archive
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ESPN | Jun 29, 2003
Michael Jordan looked into buying the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Long Beach Press-Telegram | Jun 29, 2003
Participants included rapper/producers Warren G and Soopafly and several NBA stars, including the Washington Wizards' Bryon Russell and the Houston Rockets' Juaquin Hawkins, who both played at Cal State Long Beach, and DeShawn Stevenson of the Utah Jazz.
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Washington Times | Jun 28, 2003
The second round of the NBA Draft is a numbers game for those players not good enough to earn the guaranteed contracts meted out to first-rounders.
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Washington Post | Jun 28, 2003
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Ernie Grunfeld is expected to speak with Wizards owner Abe Pollin in the next few days to finalize terms of a contract that would make him Washington's new president of basketball operations, league sources said.
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Charlotte Observer | Jun 27, 2003
Charlotte Bobcats owner Bob Johnson said Thursday that if he were Michael Jordan, he'd buy an NBA team rather than work for someone else.
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Washington Times | Jun 27, 2003
The Washington Wizards signed Jerry Stackhouse to a two-year extension yesterday but denied rumors that they had been given permission by the Milwaukee Bucks to talk with Ernie Grunfeld about the vacant job of president of basketball operations.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Jun 27, 2003
There is no agreement in principle to sell the Milwaukee Bucks to Michael Jordan, and the basketball superstar had no hand in the Bucks' draft selections Thursday night, NBA Commissioner David Stern said Thursday.
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Washington Post | Jun 27, 2003
In one of the more active days in recent memory, the Washington Wizards agreed to extend the contract of leading scorer Jerry Stackhouse for two more seasons and a path was cleared to hire Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Ernie Grunfeld as their president of basketball operations.
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Washington Post | Jun 27, 2003
The Washington Wizards filled their dual needs for a small forward and an outside shooter when they selected Georgia's Jarvis Hayes with the 10th pick of last night's NBA draft.
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Boston Globe | Jun 26, 2003
Chris Wallace withdrew his name from consideration for the Portland general manager job yesterday after an interview process that dragged on for almost seven weeks.
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Washington Times | Jun 26, 2003
When a team holds the 10th selection in a draft that becomes convoluted after the top three, what Eddie Jordan and the Washington Wizards are preparing to do sounds pretty smart.
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Washington Post | Jun 26, 2003
The question as to whom the Washington Wizards will pick with the 10th and 38th picks in tonight's NBA draft is nearly as intriguing as who will be making decisions for the team.
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Washington Post | Jun 26, 2003
When the NBA draft begins tonight at 7 at New York's Madison Square Garden, Michael Sweetney will be sitting in the Green Room, the invitation-only, backstage pad for players expected to go early in the first round.
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Washington Times | Jun 25, 2003
With the 10th pick in an NBA Draft that is expected to be rife with selections of foreign players, the Washington Wizards brain trust worked late last night trying to make final a plan for tomorrow's draft.
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Washington Post | Jun 25, 2003
The Washington Wizards concluded pre-draft workouts yesterday, and over the last 10 days, got a first-hand look at prospects Kirk Hinrich, Dwyane Wade, Jarvis Hayes and Maciej Lampe, but missed out on the personal drills with Nick Collison, Michael Sweetney and T.
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Washington Times | Jun 24, 2003
The Washington Wizards will close their week of interviews and workouts for prospective picks in Thursday's draft today, running a Frenchman and a Bosnian through drills at MCI Center.
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Washington Times Columnist Tom Knott | Jun 23, 2003
Grant Hill, the one-time heir to Michael Jordan's marketing riches, is expected to miss next season following the fourth surgery on his problematic left ankle in March.
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New York Post | Jun 22, 2003
One Ed is gone, but another stays with the Nets.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Columnist Michael Hunt | Jun 22, 2003
At a time when the league is suffering from a distinct lack of panache and star power, David Stern would be thrilled to have his most marketable asset back in the game.
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Washington Post | Jun 21, 2003
Washington Wizards forward Bryon Russell elected not to exercise his option on the final year of his two-year contract, leaving the team with unexpected savings of $1.
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Washington Post | Jun 21, 2003
Eddie Jordan spent his first full day as head coach of the Washington Wizards yesterday by meeting a surplus of issues head-on.
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Washington Post | Jun 21, 2003
A prevalent theme at Thursday's NBA draft at Madison Square Garden, when owners, coaches and general managers will choose the future of their teams, will be the foreign talent, as a record 10 of the 29 names called in the first round could belong to international players.
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New York Post | Jun 20, 2003
The plan was to get a director of basketball operations in place and then get a coach.
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Chicago Tribune | Jun 20, 2003
For many years, Milwaukee feared Michael Jordan.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Jun 20, 2003
The Milwaukee Bucks apparently won't be losing general manager Ernie Grunfeld to the Portland Trail Blazers but he might still be a candidate for a similar job in Washington.
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Washington Post Columnist Michael Wilbon | Jun 20, 2003
There are cradles of coaches and there are graveyards of coaches, and Eddie Jordan just walked into a dark place where headstones are everywhere.
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Washington Post | Jun 20, 2003
Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin, spurned by Larry Brown and Jeff Van Gundy, realized he could not let Eddie Jordan get away, too.
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Washington Post | Jun 19, 2003
Eddie Jordan, a Washington native who played basketball for Archbishop Carroll High School, will be named head coach of the Washington Wizards, league sources confirmed.
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Philadelphia Daily News | Jun 19, 2003
The 76ers apparently thought they were going to hear back today from Eddie Jordan.
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St. Louis Post-Dispatch | Jun 19, 2003
More than 100 of the best young basketball players in the country will be in St.
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Washington Post | Jun 19, 2003
Jarvis Hayes approached the mass of media with ease, a made-for-TV smile spread wide across his face.
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New York Times | Jun 19, 2003
Eddie Jordan, the Nets' top assistant coach, accepted the Washington Wizards' head-coaching job yesterday, according to two people familiar with the Wizards.
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Bergen Record | Jun 18, 2003
The first domino in a busy Nets' off-season could fall as soon as the end of this week if assistant coach Eddie Jordan leaves for a head-coaching job in Philadelphia or Washington.
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N.Y. Daily News | Jun 18, 2003
Nets assistant coach Eddie Jordan interviewed with the Sixers yesterday and is expected to talk to the Washington Wizards today about their head-coaching job, league sources said.
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New York Post | Jun 18, 2003
The off-season officially has begun for the Nets.
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Washington Post | Jun 18, 2003
Eddie Jordan, the lead assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets, is expected to interview with the Washington Wizards today for the team's head coaching job, a day after speaking to the Philadelphia 76ers for a second time about their vacancy.
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New York Times | Jun 18, 2003
While Jason Kidd started to rest his mind and body before thinking of his future, Eddie Jordan, the Nets' top assistant coach, explored his options in Philadelphia yesterday.
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Philadelphia Inquirer | Jun 17, 2003
Eddie Jordan, coveted as a head coach by the 76ers and the Washington Wizards, could receive job offers from both teams within a few days, numerous NBA sources said yesterday.
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Washington Times | Jun 17, 2003
For some reason, Abe Pollin hasn't called me this time to ask who he should pick to run his unmagical Wizards — in fact, he's never called me — but one of the nice things about writing a column is that you don't need to be asked.
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Washington Times | Jun 17, 2003
The Washington Wizards are scrambling to fill the two lead positions of their basketball operations while preparing for the June 26 NBA Draft.
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Washington Post | Jun 17, 2003
New Jersey Nets assistant coach Eddie Jordan is expected to interview for the Washington Wizards' vacant head coaching job this week, possibly as soon as today, a league source said.
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Detroit Free Press | Jun 14, 2003
Two weeks after the Pistons fired him, Rick Carlisle is weighing his employment options.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 14, 2003
The Rockets took a small step toward adding former New York Knicks star Patrick Ewing to their new coaching staff Friday, receiving permission from the Washington Wizards to talk to their assistant coach.
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Chicago Tribune | Jun 13, 2003
Retired basketball superstar Michael Jordan scored another victory Thursday when former girlfriend Karla Knafel's claim that he owed her $5 million was dismissed because the pact she alleged would be an illegal and unenforceable bid for "hush money.
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Washington Times | Jun 13, 2003
New Jersey Nets assistant coach Eddie Jordan is believed to be one of the candidates the Washington Wizards are considering as coach.
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Sacramento Bee | Jun 12, 2003
Former Kings coach Eddie Jordan is spending a second consecutive Finals as a Nets assistant and leading candidate to become a head coach again.
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Washington Post | Jun 12, 2003
The Washington Wizards have contacted Hall of Fame center Bob Lanier, 54, about interviewing for their vacant president of basketball operations position, league sources said.
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Washington Times | Jun 11, 2003
One by one, potential coaches and general managers are disappearing from the market, sucked up by teams seen as more desirable destinations than Washington.
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Racine Journal Times | Jun 10, 2003
Jim McIlvaine had grown accustomed to being the subject of the story.
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Washington Times | Jun 10, 2003
Jeff Van Gundy became coach of the Houston Rockets yesterday, rejecting an offer to take over the Washington Wizards.
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Washington Post | Jun 10, 2003
Former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy notified the Houston Rockets this morning that he will accept their head coaching job, leaving the Washington Wizards still searching.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 9, 2003
The wait for Jeff Van Gundy's reply will apparently end today.
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New York Daily News | Jun 9, 2003
The Knicks are not about to give Jeff Van Gundy away for nothing.
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Washington Times | Jun 9, 2003
The Washington Wizards could have a new coach as soon as tomorrow depending on what Jeff Van Gundy decides to do concerning an offer to coach the Houston Rockets.
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New York Times | Jun 9, 2003
When the Nets' two top assistants, Eddie Jordan and Ed Stefanski, interviewed with other teams last week, some Nets owners became concerned enough to reach out to them.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 8, 2003
Jeff Van Gundy told Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson that he likely would not make a decision until today or Monday and was true to his word.
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Washington Post Writer Michael Leahy | Jun 8, 2003
It was a kind of deathwatch.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Jun 7, 2003
In his state of the league address before Game 2 of the NBA Finals Friday night, Commissioner David Stern was asked about the unemployment status of one Michael Jordan.
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Washington Post | Jun 7, 2003
With Jordan and Coach Doug Collins gone, and General Manager Wes Unseld going on a leave of absence, the Wizards are one of several teams trying to fortify their front office and coaching staffs.
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Washington Post | Jun 7, 2003
NBA Commissioner David Stern said tonight he is optimistic that Michael Jordan will be back in the NBA in some capacity, most likely as an executive or owner, before next season.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 7, 2003
Thursday, they dated.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 6, 2003
There were tours of unfinished training facilities and posh neighborhoods.
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Philadelphia Inquirer | Jun 6, 2003
Rick Carlisle said he would talk to three teams during this week's NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago.
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Washington Post | Jun 6, 2003
Although he is weighing an offer to be the next coach of the Rockets, Jeff Van Gundy told reporters today in Houston that he interviewed with the Washington Wizards "for a good length of time" Wednesday about their vacant coaching and president of basketball operations positions.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 5, 2003
Jeff Van Gundy will arrive in Houston today to see what is waiting for him if the Rockets can close the deal to make him their coach.
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Washington Post | Jun 5, 2003
Swingman Jerry Stackhouse said his future with the Washington Wizards could hinge on whether the team offers him a contract extension before July 1, when he can opt out of the remainder of his two-year, $15 million deal.
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New York Times | Jun 5, 2003
Jeff Van Gundy, the former coach of the Knicks, met yesterday with executives of the Washington Wizards to discuss their vacant head coaching position, according to two Eastern Conference officials.
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Washington Post | Jun 4, 2003
The Wizards have contacted the agent for Rick Carlisle and could meet with the recently fired Detroit Pistons coach this weekend or early next week about Washington's coaching vacancy, according to Warren LaGarie, Carlisle's agent.
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Washington Post | Jun 3, 2003
The Washington Wizards interviewed former Maryland star Len Elmore yesterday for their president of basketball operations vacancy and received clearance to interview Boston General Manager Chris Wallace, sources confirmed.
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New York Daily News | Jun 2, 2003
As the Nets prepare for their second straight appearance in the NBA Finals, teams around the league are taking a close look at some in their organization.
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Washington Post | Jun 2, 2003
Top NBA coaching candidates Larry Brown and Paul Silas are off the market and a potential president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards could soon become unavailable as well.
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New York Daily News | Jun 1, 2003
For a few weeks, Rod Thorn was surprised not to hear from any teams regarding assistant coach Eddie Jordan.
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Washington Post | Jun 1, 2003
The Washington Wizards' chances of hiring former Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown dimmed yesterday when the Detroit Pistons fired Rick Carlisle and confirmed they would pursue Brown.
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