Michael Jordan has admitted that he is surprised by talk from coaches and players over shortening the NBA regular season.

The Charlotte Hornets owner responded to suggestions from both Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James that the number of games should be reduced from the current 82-game format.

"I love both of those guys, but as an owner who played the game, I loved playing," Jordan told ESPN.

"If I wasn't playing 82 games, I still would've been playing somewhere else because that's the love for the game I had. As a player, I never thought 82 games was an issue."

Jordan also warned the players that if they want to play fewer games then they should also prepare themselves for earning less money as a result.

The NBA is set to experiment with a 44-minute exhibition game on Sunday between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics.