Financial hardships be damned: “There is absolutely no way I will ever suggest to the league or the city that the Bobcats leave Charlotte,” Bob Johnson told the Charlotte Observer. “Absolutely, unequivocally – that’s not an option and never will be for me. Charlotte is an outstanding market, and it will come back like the entire economy will come back.” Johnson did leave open the option of selling the team to Michael Jordan. “If Michael picked up the phone and said ‘I’m ready to be the Bobcats owner,’ I’d be more than happy to talk to him about it,” Johnson said. “I couldn’t think of a better owner to do it. It’s really on his timetable, not on my timetable. If he has an interest in doing it, I’m convinced he could put together the economics to do it.”