Several legends have graced NBA, defining an entire basketball era. However, none could ever be as great as Michael Jordan. He had an unprecedented influence on the league during his time, becoming one of the most eminent sporting figures in the world. He also had one of the most accomplished careers of all time in the NBA. Years after his retirement, however, he acquired the Charlotte Hornets in a shocking series of events.
MJ made headlines when he made a staggering investment, acquiring the Charlotte Hornets in 2010. In 13 years of running the franchise, Jordan never brought his success as a player into his ownership stint. Now, His Airness is walking away from the franchise, making a whopping $3B profit from his original investment. However, this action leaves the Hornets with a great deal of uncertainty looming over them. To add fuel to the fire, they recently were subjected to major disrespect from some billion-dollar firms.
Michael Jordan’s ex-team faces a major axe
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Michael Jordan’s move to acquire the Charlotte Hornets proved to be much savvier than he could have imagined. Despite the team’s streak of underwhelming performances, Jordan made an unbelievable $3B profit from his original investment of $275M when he sold his shares of the franchise. The Hornets, however, gained nothing out of this deal.
Jordan’s actions naturally cast a cloud of uncertainty over the Hornets franchise. Now, to add fuel to the fire, they faced a major axe from billion-dollar firms when the NBA released its schedule for the 2023-24 season.
Given the Hornets’ record over the past few years, it is evident they are not among the most successful franchises in the NBA. The major media houses of ESPN, TNT, and ABC, unfortunately, felt this served as a reason to snub them from having nationally telecasted games.
The Hornets only had 2 nationally televised games in the 2022-23 season. This has further dropped to just one game this season. While the likes of Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers enjoy over 25 games of this sort, the Hornets have faced a major axe in this category.
The Hornets had to deal with this massive disrespect from the media powerhouses. However, this does not necessarily define their upcoming season. The franchise has a lot to look forward to going into the 2023-24 season.
The Hornets have a lot to look forward to
The Charlotte Hornets landed on gold after an underwhelming season last year. They picked the Alabama State alum, Brandon Miller with the No.2 draft pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Now, the franchise has a lot to look forward to going into the upcoming season.
The 2022-23 season was filled with controversies and injuries for the Hornets. Their star forward, Miles Bridges, faced allegations of domestic violence that separated him from the team for the entire season. In fact, their All-Star guard, LaMelo Ball sat out most of the season, citing a major ankle injury.
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However, they are both set to make a comeback this season, healthier than ever.
With the new ownership and several stars coming back to the roster, the Hornets are in for a ride. The idea of pairing Brandon Miller and Ball has always intrigued fans, but the addition of Bridges has only made Buzz City stronger.
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With a promising roster and a fresh start with the ownership, their snub from national television may not bother the franchise much. Their focus would certainly lay on getting back into playoff contention, which can, in turn, increase viewership too.
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