Jordan Reveals Price Tag For Next Season - $36 Million

It will take $36 million to keep Michael Jordan with the Bulls for the next two seasons, and not a nickel less.

“That’s it, and that’s the absolute bottom figure,” Jordan told the Tribune on Sunday night after the Bulls routed the Orlando Magic, 121-83, in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals at the United Center.

“I want to stay here, and I feel like it’s 70-30 that I will, maybe 80-20,” Jordan said. “But I’m prepared to go, and so is my family, if it doesn’t happen.”

Jordan, who will become a free agent at season’s end, said he would prefer a salary of $23 million per annum. Get it, 23?

But he will settle for $18 million and he will wait at least until August, when the market value of the estimable roster of free agents is established.

“If they mess around with me here, which I don’t think they will, I’ll go elsewhere for whatever,” Jordan said. “I’ll play on another team for $10 million less if I have to, just on principle. They’ve made a lot of money here, and it’s time to give a little back.”

In other words, Jordan knows that he helped build the United Center. He also stressed that he has a longstanding and cordial relationship with Jerry Reinsdorf, the chairman of the Bulls.

“We’ve never been anything but friends, and that’s the way I expect it to be,” Jordan said.

Jordan has resisted contract talks during the playoffs, as has Reinsdorf.

“No figure you give me would mean anything now because we haven’t gotten to that point,” Reinsdorf said Sunday night. “Obviously, we want to keep Michael in Chicago. But I haven’t even thought about numbers yet. I just want to enjoy this while I can.”