Jordan told The Charlotte Observer on Friday that he would be interested in taking control of the Bobcats from majority owner Bob Johnson if and when he decided to sell the team.

"When Bob wants to step aside, I have no problem stepping in and saying, 'Hey, look, I'd love to take control of this franchise,"' Jordan said in a story on the newspaper's Web site. "But Bob, he's not at that point now. He still enjoys owning the basketball team."

Jordan bought a minority stake in the Bobcats in 2006 and Johnson gave him total control over the team's basketball operations.

The fifth-year franchise has never made the playoffs and Johnson has acknowledged losing millions on the team, which has struggled to draw fans. Johnson, the first black majority owner of a major professional sports team, told The Associated Press last month that he was not interested in selling the team.

Johnson and Jordan could not be reached for comment late Friday.