User:Mileslivingston/List of relocated and renamed National Basketball Association teams
Appearance
Current team | Current city | Relocation / renaming history | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Atlanta Hawks | Atlanta, Georgia | Buffalo Bisons 1946 (NBL) Tri-Cities Blackhawks 1946–51 (NBL, NBA) Milwaukee Hawks 1951–55 (NBA) St. Louis Hawks 1955–68 Atlanta Hawks 1968–present |
*Moved to Tri-Cities 13 games into inaugural 1946-1947 season. *Named after the Black Hawk War which took place in the Tri-Cities area. *Joined the NBA in 1949 merger of NBL and BAA. |
Denver Nuggets | Denver, Colorado | Denver Larks 1967 (ABA) Denver Rockets 1967–74 (ABA) Denver Nuggets 1974–present (NBA) |
*Joined NBA in 1974. *As the name "Rockets" was already taken by Houston, a renaming contest was held with "Nuggets" winning (a reference to the defunct NBL Nuggets team. |
Detroit Pistons | Detroit, Michigan | Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons 1941–48 (NBL) Fort Wayne Pistons 1948-57 (BAA, NBA) Detroit Pistons 1957–present (NBA) |
*"Zollner" after owner Fred Zollner. *Zollner removed from name in 1948 switch to BAA. *Joined the NBA in 1949 merger of NBL and BAA, a formation brokered by Fred Zollner. |
Golden State Warriors | Oakland, California | Philadelphia Warriors 1946–62 (BAA, NBA) San Francisco Warriors 1962–71 (NBA) Golden State Warriors 1971–present |
*Merger |
Houston Rockets | Houston, Texas | San Diego Rockets 1967–71 (NBA) Houston Rockets 1971–present |
*Joined the NBA as an expansion team. |
Los Angeles Clippers | Los Angeles, California | Buffalo Braves 1970–1978 (NBA) San Diego Clippers 1978–1984 Los Angeles Clippers 1984–present |
*Joined the NBA as an expansion team. |
Los Angeles Lakers | Los Angeles, California | Detroit Gems 1946–47 (NBL) Minneapolis Lakers 1947–60 (NBL, BAA, NBA) Los Angeles Lakers 1960–present (NBA) |
*Joined the BAA for the 1948-49 Season *Joined the NBA as a result of 1949 BAA NBL merger. |
Memphis Grizzlies | Memphis, Tennessee | Vancouver Grizzlies 1995–01 (NBA) Memphis Grizzlies 2001–present |
*Joined the NBA as an expansion team. |
New Jersey Nets | East Rutherford, New Jersey | New Jersey Americans (Teaneck) 1967–68 (ABA) New York Nets 1968–77 (ABA, NBA) New Jersey Nets 1977–present (NBA) |
*Renamed after New York relocation to rhyme with New York's Mets and Jets. *Joined the NBA as a result of 1976 ABA NBA merger. |
New Orleans Hornets | New Orleans, Louisiana | Charlotte Hornets 1988-02 (NBA) New Orleans Hornets 2002-05 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets 2005-07 New Orleans Hornets 2007-present |
*Joined the NBA as an expansion team. *Originally intended to be named the Charlotte "Spirit" but renamed in a contest. *Temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City as a result of Hurricane Katrina. |
Philadelphia 76ers | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Syracuse Nationals 1939–63 (NBL, NBA) Philadelphia 76ers 1963–present (NBA) |
*Joined the NBA as a result of 1949 NBL BAA merger. *Renamed the 76ers after relocation to Philadelphia. |
Sacramento Kings | Sacramento, California | Rochester Royals 1945–57 (NBL, BAA, NBA) Cincinnati Royals 1957–72 (NBA) Kansas City-Omaha Kings 1972–75 Kansas City Kings 1975–85 Sacramento Kings 1985–present |
*"Royals" chosen in a name-the-team contest. *Joined the BAA for 1948-49 season. *Joined the NBA as a result of 1949 NBL BAA merger. *Renamed the Kings after relocation to Kansas City (due to pre-existing Kansas City Royals baseball team). |
San Antonio Spurs | San Antonio, Texas | Dallas Chaparrals 1967-70 (ABA) Texas Chaparrals 1970-71 (ABA) Dallas Chaparrals 1971-73 (ABA) San Antonio Spurs 1973-present (ABA, NBA) |
*Renamed Texas Chaparrals in an attempt to increase regional fanbase. *Joined the NBA as a result of 1976 ABA NBA merger. |
Oklahoma City Thunder | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Seattle SuperSonics 1967–08 (NBA) Oklahoma City Thunder 2008–present |
*Joined the NBA as an expansion team. |
Utah Jazz | Salt Lake City, Utah | New Orleans Jazz 1974–79 (NBA) Utah Jazz 1979–present |
|
Washington Wizards | Washington, D.C. | Chicago Packers 1961-62 (NBA) Chicago Zephyrs 1962-63 Baltimore Bullets 1963-73 Capital Bullets 1973-74 Washington Bullets 1974-97 Washington Wizards 1997-present |
*Name changed to Wizards as a result of owner Abe Pollin citing violent overtones of the word "Bullet." |
See also
[edit]List of defunct National Basketball Association teams
Basketball Association of America
National Basketball League (United States)