The Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday fired coach Sam Vincent, the second coach Michael Jordan has dismissed after just one season, the dpa reported.
A former teammate of Jordan's in Chicago, Vincent directed the Bobcats to a 32-50 record, one win off last season's club-best mark. Charlotte entered the NBA as an expansion franchise in 2004.
The Bobcats were hampered by injuries as forwards Adam Morrison and Sean May missed the entire season and swingman Gerald Wallace was sidelined 20 games with an assortment of ailments. Charlotte did not contend for a playoff spot, despite playing in the weak Eastern Conference.
The team's managing member of basketball operations, Jordan decided to make the change after meeting last week with Vincent.
"The decision to remove Sam as head coach after just one season was difficult, but it was a decision that had to be made because my first obligation is to do what is in the best interest of our team," Jordan said in a statement on the team's web site.
While serving as vice president for the Washington Wizards, Jordan gave coach Leonard Hamilton a five-year contract and fired him after one season.
Vincent played seven years in the NBA. He was an assistant in Dallas for one season and a coach for three seasons in the NBDL, the NBA's minor league. He replaced Bernie Bickerstaff as Bobcats coach on May 25, 2007.
There has been speculation that Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown is interested in the job.
Brown resigned his position as executive vice president of the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this week and is an alumnus of North Carolina, where Jordan played collegiately. Brown's agent, Joe Glass, told several news outlets his client is looking to coach again.