Reinsdorf Glad Jordan Left on Top

Chicago Bull chairman Jerry Reinsdorf says he did not want to see Michael Jordan retire and the rest of the team split up any more than the city’s fans did.

But if it had to happen--and it did--he wanted them to leave as winners.

“As a fan, you really have to like that Michael retired as the equivalent of the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world,” Reinsdorf told the Chicago Tribune on Thursday.

“By retiring, the legend grows and grows, and people will say we could have won nine, 10 championships in a row if he’d stayed,” Reinsdorf said. “And the fact is we wouldn’t have. The dynasty would have ended someday with somebody defeating us. Now we can say the dynasty ended because we were done.”

Without Jordan, Reinsdorf said it didn’t make sense to sign the team’s veterans to long-term contracts when it would only have delayed the inevitable rebuilding.

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Dennis Rodman might soon be reunited with Orlando Coach Chuck Daly.

The Orlando Sentinel reported in today’s editions that Rodman’s former agent, Dwight Manley, informed the Miami Heat earlier this week of Rodman’s intention to join the Magic.

Daly, who coached Rodman for six years in Detroit, has already expressed his interest in Rodman.

“I talked to Dennis about a week or two ago, but in general terms,” Daly said. “We have talked about it. I’m definitely interested.”

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The New Jersey Nets will be missing guard Kerry Kittles and backup center Rony Seikaly when they open the season. Kittles decided to rehabilitate his right knee rather than undergo surgery for torn cartilage, and he is expected to be out four weeks. Seikaly has ligament damage in his left ankle and he’s expected to be lost for four weeks. . . . Vinny Del Negro agreed in principle to a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks after six seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. Del Negro had been playing in Italy during the NBA lockout.