Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said Tuesday that “it was a total shock” the team picked up a one-year option on his contract, keeping him on through the 2009-10 season.
He shouldn’t have been so surprised.
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The move came five days after his best player, Gilbert Arenas, had knee surgery — his third in 18 months. As long as Arenas’ left knee remains inoperable, Jordan has job security.
In his five seasons, the longest tenure in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, Jordan has a 196-214 record. The Wizards have lost to Cleveland three straight years in the opening round of the playoffs. Most teams stuck in neutral consider a coaching change, especially in the revolving door NBA.
But as long as the team’s franchise player is hobbled, Jordan’s grade remains an incomplete.
“It was something I thought about doing a long time ago,” said Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld. “It was something we wanted to put behind us — get some business taken care of.”
There’s no question Jordan earned his $3 million salary last year, guiding the Wizards to a 43-39 record despite injuries to All-Stars Arenas and Caron Butler.
Given that he works for an owner, Abe Pollin, who has a long history of rewarding loyal employees (remember the Wes Unseld years), Jordan has never had reason to worry about his job, although you wouldn’t have known it from his comments Tuesday.
“Ernie called me up to his office and said, ‘Let’s talk about camp personnel. Let’s talk about this. Let’s talk about this. And we’re gonna pick up your option,’” Jordan recalled. “It was a total shock. I had a contract for this year. I was preparing to go to training camp. That was the only thing on my mind.”
Last year was a long, hard season that took a physical toll on Jordan. Tuesday at the Verizon Center, Jordan — minus 20 pounds that he lost in the offseason — looked refreshed.
And secure.
