Eddie & Ernie belong together

The first rumor involving Eddie Jordan surfaced, conveniently enough, the day after Ernie Grunfeld expressed a fuzzy intention to discuss the potential contract extension of the Wizards coach this summer.

The rumor was thin, considering it emanated from Sacramento just after Rick Adelman was dispensing his farewells.

A hastily drafted list of prospective candidates that follows a parting is often filled with guesses, possibilities and long shots, most not intended to be taken seriously.

Even Don Nelson’s name is being floated in Sacramento because of his entertainment endeavor with the Magoof brothers. The omission of K.C. Jones undoubtedly was an oversight.

There is a certain conceit with the list, given the job requires a Sacramento address and the assignment of being Ron Artest’s lead babysitter.

Yet it is nice to be wanted, or at least perceived to be wanted, and Jordan is no different from the rest of us in that regard.

Jordan has labored under the perception, accurate or not, that he is Abe Pollin’s guy instead of Grunfeld’s guy. His four-year contract is Pollin’s handiwork, after all.

Jordan has one year left on the contract following two consecutive playoff appearances, the first back-to-back postseason journey of the franchise since the 1987 and 1988 seasons.

That is the obvious talking point. There are others.

Jordan did not inherit Gilbert Arenas, the budding superstar. He inherited an immature hothead who shot the ball indiscriminately or sometimes not at all if a teammate objected to his shot selection.

Jordan did not inherit the All-Star Antawn Jamison. Jamison became one under him in 2005.

The two merely could be fortuitous coincidences in Jordan’s portfolio.

The problem with that view is the career seasons of both Larry Hughes and Caron Butler, one following the other and both under Jordan.

Grunfeld, of course, has acquired the talent that Jordan has nurtured.

It is no longer basketball heresy to drop potential All-Star in the same sentence with Butler, as Grunfeld did earlier this week.

Story Continues →