Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin admitted yesterday that this has been a "tough summer" for him, never mentioning his acrimonious parting with Michael Jordan. The public relations backlash was so harsh it prompted Pollin to send letters to season ticket holders offering a refund of their deposits if they were unhappy with the direction of the team after an offseason of substantial turnover.

"It was a tough summer for me. It was difficult," Pollin said at a news conference yesterday to introduce newly signed guard Gilbert Arenas.

With Jordan and nearly everyone he brought into the organization gone, Pollin championed his luring of Eddie Jordan as coach, Ernie Grunfeld as president of basketball operations and the acquisition of Arenas, who became a free agent in July.

"I ended up getting exactly what we wanted," Pollin said.

Many league officials feel the tandem of Eddie Jordan and Grunfeld is an ideal fit in rebuilding a franchise that has not been to the postseason since 1997, when it was swept in three games by Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.

An unexpected $2 million bump in salary cap space gave the Wizards enough money to attract Arenas (six years, $64 million), the NBA's most improved player last season after averaging 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists, and helping the Golden State Warriors make a 17-game improvement from the 2001-02 season.

With draft picks Jarvis Hayes of Georgia and Steve Blake of Maryland expected to have some impact this season, Pollin said, "I don't think anybody will ask for a refund."