The best move Jordan made as a manager, however, is obvious. It happened Thursday when he traded Brandan Wright, the eighth pick in the 2007 NBA draft, for Jason Richardson.

Richardson plays for Golden State, a stealth team, so some of you are not familiar with his work. If you saw him on TV it probably was during last season's 11-game playoff run, and only if you stayed up late.

Here's what you should know: Richardson is a 6-foot-6 guard who works hard and is a good teammate. He is 26 and can shoot, rebound and jump to the roof. Only two players have won the NBA's dunk contest in consecutive years, and they're both Bobcats — Jordan and Richardson.

If I sound excited, I am. Richardson gives the franchise credibility. The Bobcats have never known who will take the shot that will win or lose the game. Now they do.

Put Richardson on the floor with Emeka Okafor and Gerald Wallace and you have the three-star nucleus that has become the NBA's standard for success.

Alas, Wallace is a free agent. A source says his house on the market. But if it is, the MLS (multiple listing service) has no record of it. And there was a security guard to get past and a gate to get by yesterday, and I wasn't going to trespass. And even if his house is on the market, that doesn't mean he plans to skip town.

I think Wright, the 6-9 forward from North Carolina that Golden State wanted, will someday be good. Richardson is good now. Last season he averaged 19.1 points and 6.7 rebounds.

But don't the good teams build through the draft? Isn't the eighth pick risky to give up? Here are the 10 players selected at No. 8 before Wright, so you tell me:

Adonal Foyle, 1997; Larry Hughes, `98; Andre Miller, `99; Jamal Crawford, `00; DeSagana Diop, `01; Chris Wilcox, `02; T.J. Ford, `03; Rafael Araujo, `04; Channing Frye `05; Rudy Gay (`06).

The group includes big men, wings and point guards. Some were pretty good, some are and some will be. Build a team around them and what do you get? You get the NBA record for fewest victories in a season.

From a basketball perspective, everything about the Richardson deal works. But here's what concerns me.

Bottom-line Bob Johnson, who owns the Bobcats, is not going to say, "Enjoy" and pull $51 million from his wallet to honor Richardson's contract. I worry he will lay people off.

The Bobcats could be the only team in the NBA next season with a play-by-play man who provides color commentary and during commercials sells pizza, popcorn and suites.

If Charlotte outbids the rest of the league for Wallace, the play-by-play man's job also could include picking up the team's laundry and a broom.