When Michael Jordan hung up his jersey for the final time after the 2002-03 season, the Washington Wizards found themselves in an awkward limbo. The lingering shadows of MJ’s legacy on and off the court left the franchise at a crossroads. That summer, then-Wizards owner Abe Pollin made a bold move that would redefine the team’s identity. “Just get me out of this Jordan era,” Pollin reportedly said. And with those words, a fresh chapter began—one that would bring Gilbert Arenas to Washington.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors, Gilbert Arenas had become a restricted free agent after just two seasons. As the young guard weighed his options, the $214 million team’s owner reached out with a pitch that was hard to ignore. Speaking recently on the REAL ONES with Jon Bernthal podcast, Arenas recounted the moment. “There was no franchise guy here. There’s no face of the city. You can be the face of the city,” Pollin told him.

But what truly sealed the deal was Pollin’s raw honesty. Pollin didn’t just want a player; he needed a savior. “His words to me were, ‘Just get me out of this Jordan era, and you’re my guy,’” Arenas recalled. It wasn’t just talk, either. Pollin backed his desperation with trust, and Arenas delivered.

Over his seven-year stint, Arenas helped the Wizards to three playoff appearances between 2005 and 2008, earning three All-Star nods along the way. And he hasn’t let anyone forget it. In typical Arenas fashion, he once joked about his time in D.C. and why he, not MJ, is the Wizards’ true GOAT.

“I did something MJ couldn’t do—got the Wizards in the playoffs and won a playoff series. I’m the GOAT. If you add up our stats together, I burn him!” Arenas quipped. That would be in 2005, defeating the Chicago Bulls 4-2, Arenas helped the team to the first conference semi-finals since 1982.

Wizards wanted to move on from MJ

When Michael Jordan made his second NBA comeback, this time with the Washington Wizards, fans were buzzing. But as exciting as it was, even the 6x champ had his regrets. “One of the bad decisions I made was to go back and play,” Jordan admitted in a 2005 interview.

However, the drama didn’t end with his retirement. After leaving the court, MJ stepped into a front-office role as the Wizards’ president of basketball operations and even became a minority owner. But according to Gilbert Arenas, MJ’s leadership style didn’t sit well with the players. “How he was dealing with the players, they didn’t like the idea that this is how they were dealt with as the player version of him, what happens as the owner version of him,” Arenas shared on his podcast.

The unease grew to the point where the team held a meeting and collectively decided they didn’t want Jordan as part of the franchise anymore. Owner Abe Pollin took action, confronting Jordan with the team’s decision. “He gave him that check and said, you know, the team doesn’t want you,” Arenas revealed. The kicker? MJ didn’t take it lightly. “MJ threw that motherf****r and left,” Arenas added. For Pollin, the ordeal brought criticism, but for the Wizards, it marked the end of an era they desperately wanted to leave behind.