VanK wrote:I don't know why, but Magic/MJ/Barkley seem the worst possible NBA owners. Two of them have serious gambling problems, MJ was as bad of a GM as it gets and I seriously don't believe that the other two would be much better. It could be fun, though.
I don't know about their gambling problems being "serious". I'm not sure if it's relevant either or much of a problem as far as being an owner is concerned so long as they're not betting on the NBA or their own team. After all, don't the Maloofs have connections to or head up various business ventures in Las Vegas? There's no conflict there.
As far as being a GM goes, MJ's record is not necessarily impressive but I still don't think it's as bad as it's sometimes made out to be. The main knock is drafting Kwame but if Kwame is still being given the benefit of the doubt, why isn't Jordan given the benefit of the doubt for drafting him? If Kwame makes something of himself as a Laker will MJ be credited for the pick and Jackson applauded for doing what Doug Collins and Eddie Jordan could not or will MJ still be criticised for it?
There was also bringing in Brendan Haywood and Larry Hughes as well as dumping the contracts of Mitch Richmond, Rod Strickland and Juwan Howard, moves that in part helped the regime that followed Jordan in Washington to sign Arenas and deal for Jamison. It's not as though he took a 60 win team and ran them into the ground. A glowing success? No, probably not. But a complete failure? I think that's going a bit too far.
Anyway, sounds like pure speculation to me, a suggestion by Magic that's being blown out of proportion. It would be kind of cool but I'm not sure it would be successful even though I defend MJ's record as a GM.