By Brian A. Lester

Michael Jordan's competitive fire is something no other player can match. And even though he is closing in on 40, that fire still burns as brightly as it did when he guided the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in eight seasons.

So it should come as no surprise that Jordan is seeking one last run at glory, and he made that possibility much more real this past week by bringing Jerry Stackhouse to Washington in a six-player deal with Detroit.

Yes, Washington had to give up Rip Hamilton in the trade, but that's fine because Stackhouse is a much better player. Stackhouse brings a lot to the table and is the type of player that can help save a Wizards team desperate to free itself from the tight grip mediocrity has on it.

Last year, Washington was within a handful of games of making the playoffs because of Jordan's presence. However, Jordan was forced off the court by an injury late in the season and the Wizards just weren't the same without him.

But now, by bringing Stackhouse to town, the Wizards add a player who has already proven himself, and who is quite capable of carrying a team on his shoulders if Jordan is unable to play as often as he hopes to.

Stackhouse gave everyone a glimpse of just how valuable he can be to a team last season in Detroit, leading the Pistons to 50 wins and a Central Division title. The former North Carolina Tar Heel lit up opponents to the tune of 21.4 points per outing, the third consecutive year he has averaged better than 20 per game.

Stackhouse has never averaged less than 14 points in a season since entering the league in 1995, and it's safe to say that trend isn't going to change anytime soon.

Everyone knows Stackhouse will get the green light to shoot early and often, and it's possible he will have an opportunity to average close to 30 a game. And remember, this is a contract year for Stackhouse, which means he will do everything he can to make sure he is shown the money when the season is over.

Speaking of money, David Stern's eyes are lit up with dollar signs at the moment because of what Washington has done to better itself.

Stern has to be thinking that Jordan and Stackhouse on the same team means the Wizards could very well put themselves in playoff contention in an Eastern Conference that will again be wide open.

The Wizards already get the maximum number of national television appearances this coming season, and while winning an actual title might be difficult, just the fact of the Wizards making it to the NBA Finals would be good enough for Stern.

Just imagine a league title series pitting Jordan's Wizards against Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal's Lakers. A stage set up for Jordan to take one more shot at retiring on top for a third time, while Lakers take aim at becoming the first team since the Boston Celtics to win four consecutive titles.

It would be a dream match made in basketball heaven, and television ratings would skyrocket through the roof.

Far-fetched? Perhaps.

But Stackhouse is a Wizard now, and given the fact that he gets to play alongside Jordan, who no one should ever underestimate, anything is possible.

Brian Lester is a sportswriter in Ohio and can be reached via e-mail at BAL4@hotmail.com.