Timeline of the NBA

The following is a timeline of the expansion and evolution of franchises in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league was formed as the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946 and took its current name in 1949. The histories of NBA franchises that were also members of the American Basketball League (ABL), National Basketball League (NBL), National Pro Basketball League (NPBL), and American Basketball Association (ABA) are also included.

NBA timeline

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text:ABL^American Basketball League, active 1925–55"
text:"NBL^National Basketball League, active 1937–49"
text:"NPBL^National Pro Basketball League, active 1950–51"
text:"ABA^American Basketball Association, active 1967–76"
text:"1946^BAA forms; merged with NBL in 1949 to form the NBA"
text:"•^Championship season"

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# -- 1946-7 original teams that are now defunct
bar:Rebels
bar:Ironmen
bar:Falcons
bar:Huskies

# -- Original BAA Teams
bar:Steamrollers
bar:Bombers
bar:Stags
bar:Capitols
bar:Warriors
bar:Knicks
bar:Celtics

# -- Absorbed from ABL
bar:Bullets

# -- NBL teams absorbed 1948
bar:Kings
bar:Jets
bar:Pistons
bar:Lakers

# -- NBL teams merged 1949
bar:Sheboygan
bar:Packers
bar:Hawks
bar:Waterloo
bar:NuggetsI
bar:Olympians
bar:76ers

# 1960s
bar:Wizards
bar:Bulls
bar:Rockets
bar:Thunder
bar:Suns
bar:Bucks

# early 70s
bar:Cavs
bar:Clippers
bar:Trailblazers
bar:Jazz

# ABA
bar:Spurs
bar:NuggetsII
bar:Nets
bar:Pacers

# late 1970s-80s
bar:Mavericks
bar:Hornets
bar:Heat
bar:Orlando
bar:Timberwolves

# 1990s+
bar:Raptors
bar:Grizzlies
bar:Pelicans

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## -- ABA Championships

at:1970 bar:Pacers $champ $t:black mark:(line, notpro)
at:1972 bar:Pacers $champ $t:black mark:(line, notpro)
at:1973 bar:Pacers $champ $t:black mark:(line, notpro)
at:1974 bar:Nets $champ $t:black mark:(line, notpro)
at:1976 bar:Nets $champ $t:black mark:(line, notpro)

# -- defunct teams
bar:Falcons from:1946 till:1947 text:"Detroit Falcons" $Left color:red
bar:Rebels from:1946 till:1947 text:"Cleveland Rebels" $Left color:maroon
bar:Steamrollers from:1946 till:1949 text:"Providence Steamrollers" $Left color:redorange
bar:Ironmen from:1946 till:1947 text:"Pittsburgh Ironmen" $Left color:silver
bar:Huskies from:1946 till:1947 text:"Toronto Huskies" $Left color:blue

bar:Waterloo from:1948 till:1949 $Left text:"Waterloo Hawks (NBL)"
bar:Waterloo from:1949 till:1950 $Up color:iceblue
bar:Waterloo from:1950 till:1951 $Right $NPBL

bar:Capitols from:1946 till:1950 text:"Washington Capitols" $Left color:green
bar:Bombers from:1946 till:1950 text:"St Louis Bombers" $Left color:red

bar:NuggetsI from:1948 till:1949 $Left $NBL
bar:NuggetsI from:1949 till:1950 text:"Denver Nuggets" $Right color:gold

bar:Olympians from:1949 till:1953 text:"Indianapolis Olympians" $Left color:blue

bar:Stags from:1946 till:1950 text:"Chicago Stags" $Left color:blue

bar:Jets from:1937 till:1948 $NBL
bar:Jets from:1948 till:1949 text:"Indianapolis Jets" $Right color:red

bar:Packers from:1946 till:1949 text:"Anderson Packers (NBL)" $Left
bar:Packers from:1949 till:1950 color:darkred
bar:Packers from:1950 till:1951 $NPBL $right

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bar:Sheboygan from:1949 till:1950 text:"Sheboygan Red Skins" $Left color:darkred
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bar:Bullets from:1944 till:1947 text:"(ABL)"
bar:Bullets from:1947 till:1954 $LeftMargin text:"Baltimore Bullets" $t:gold color:blue

# -- current teams A - M
bar:76ers from:1946 till:1949 $NBL
bar:76ers from:1949 till:1963 text:"Syracuse Nationals" color:red $t:darkblue
bar:76ers from:1963 till:end text:"Philadelphia 76ers" $RightIn color:royalblue $t:White

bar:Bucks from:1968 till:end text:"Milwaukee Bucks" $RightIn color:green $t:white

bar:Bulls from:1966 till:end text:"Chicago Bulls" $RightIn color:red $t:white

bar:Celtics from:1946 till:end text:"Boston Celtics" $RightIn color:green $t:white

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bar:Clippers from:1984 till:end text:"Los Angeles Clippers" $RightIn color:royalblue $t:white

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bar:Grizzlies from:2001 till:end text:"Memphis Grizzlies" $RightIn color:darkblue $t:white

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bar:Hawks from:1949 till:1951 color:navy
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bar:Hawks from:1968 till:end text:"Atlanta Hawks" $RightIn color:red $t:yellow

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bar:Jazz from:1974 till:1979 text:"New Orleans Jazz" $Left color:purple $t:purple
bar:Jazz from:1979 till:end text:"Utah Jazz" $RightIn color:navy $t:sand

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bar:Kings from:1948 till:1957 color:purple $t:white text:"Rochester Royals"
bar:Kings from:1957 till:1972 text:"Cincinnati Royals" color:blue $t:white
bar:Kings from:1972 till:1975 $Up text:"K.C.-Omaha~Kings" color:darkblue $t:white
bar:Kings from:1975 till:1985 text:"Kansas City Kings" color:red $t:darkblue
bar:Kings from:1985 till:end text:"Sacramento Kings" $RightIn color:purple $t:white

bar:Knicks from:1946 till:end text:"New York Knicks" $RightIn color:blue $t:white

bar:Lakers from:1947 till:1948 $Left $NBL
bar:Lakers from:1948 till:1960 text:"Minneapolis Lakers" $t:gold color:purple
bar:Lakers from:1960 till:end text:"Los Angeles Lakers" $RightIn color:yellow $t:purple

bar:Mavericks from:1980 till:end text:"Dallas Mavericks" $RightIn color:royalblue $t:white

bar:Heat from:1988 till:end text:"Miami Heat" $RightIn color:darkred $t:white

# -- N - Z
bar:Nets from:1967 till:1968 $Left text:"New Jersey Americans (ABA)"
bar:Nets from:1968 till:1976 text:"New York Nets (ABA)"
bar:Nets from:1976 till:1977 $UpLeft color:red
bar:Nets from:1977 till:2012 text:"New Jersey Nets" color:blue $t:white
bar:Nets from:2012 till:end text:"Brooklyn~Nets" $UpRightMargin color:black textcolor:white

bar:NuggetsII from:1967 till:1974 $Left text:"Denver Rockets (ABA)
bar:NuggetsII from:1974 till:1976 $ABA
bar:NuggetsII from:1976 till:end text:"Denver Nuggets" color:iceblue $t:white $RightIn

bar:Orlando from:1989 till:end text:"Orlando Magic" $RightIn color:blue $t:white

bar:Pacers from:1967 till:1976 $ABA
bar:Pacers from:1976 till:end text:"Indiana Pacers" color:navy textcolor:yellow $RightIn

bar:Pelicans from:2002 till:2005 text:"New Orleans Hornets" $Left color:vikings_purple $t:vikings_purple
bar:Pelicans from:2005 till:2007 text:"NO/OKC~Hornets" $Up color:red $t:white
bar:Pelicans from:2007 till:2013 text:"New Orleans~Hornets" $UpRIghtMargin color:gold $t:purple
bar:Pelicans from:2013 till:end text:"New Orleans~Pelicans" $UpLeftIn color:navy $t:white

bar:Pistons from:1941 till:1948 $NBL
bar:Pistons from:1948 till:1957 text:"Ft. Wayne Pistons" color:red $t:blue
bar:Pistons from:1957 till:end text:"Detroit Pistons" $RightIn color:blue $t:white

bar:Raptors from:1995 till:end text:"Toronto Raptors" $RightIn color:purple $t:white

bar:Rockets from:1967 till:1971 text:"San Diego Rockets" $Left color:green $t:green
bar:Rockets from:1971 till:end text:"Houston Rockets" $RightIn color:red $t:yellow

bar:Spurs from:1967 till:1973 $Left text:"Dallas Chaparrals (ABA)"
bar:Spurs from:1973 till:1976 $ABA
bar:Spurs from:1976 till:end text:"San Antonio Spurs" $RightIn color:silver textcolor:black

bar:Suns from:1968 till:end text:"Phoenix Suns" $RightIn color:purple $t:white

bar:Timberwolves from:1989 till:end text:"Minnesota Timberwolves" $RightIn color:lions_lightblue $t:white

bar:Trailblazers from:1970 till:end text:"Portland Trail Blazers" $RightIn color:red $t:white

bar:Thunder from:1967 till:2008 text:"Seattle SuperSonics" color:green $t:yellow
bar:Thunder from:2008 till:end text:"Oklahoma City~Thunder" $Up color:orange $t:darkblue

bar:Warriors from:1946 till:1962 text:"Philadelphia Warriors" color:red $t:blue
bar:Warriors from:1962 till:1971 text:"San Francisco~Warriors" $up color:blue $t:gold
bar:Warriors from:1971 till:end text:"Golden State Warriors" $RightIn color:yellow $t:blue

bar:Wizards from:1961 till:1962 text:"Chicago Packers" $Left color:navy $t:orange
bar:Wizards from:1962 till:1963 text:"Chicago~Zephyrs" $UpLeftMargin color:gold $t:white
bar:Wizards from:1963 till:1973 text:"Baltimore~Bullets" $Up color:blue $t:white
bar:Wizards from:1973 till:1974 text:"Capital~Bullets" $Up color:red $t:white
bar:Wizards from:1974 till:1997 text:"Washington Bullets" color:darkblue $t:white
bar:Wizards from:1997 till:end text:"Washington Wizards" $RightIn color:red $t:white

## -- championships
at:1947 bar:Warriors $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1948 bar:Bullets $champ mark:(line, blue)
at:1949 bar:Lakers $champ mark:(line, purple)
at:1950 bar:Lakers $champ mark:(line, purple)
at:1951 bar:Kings $champ mark:(line, purple)
at:1952 bar:Lakers $champ mark:(line, purple)
at:1953 bar:Lakers $champ mark:(line, purple)
at:1954 bar:Lakers $champ mark:(line, purple)
at:1955 bar:76ers $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1956 bar:Warriors $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1957 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1958 bar:Hawks $champ mark:(line, navy)
at:1959 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1960 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1961 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1962 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1963 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1964 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1965 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1966 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1967 bar:76ers $champ mark:(line, royalblue)
at:1968 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1969 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1970 bar:Knicks $champ mark:(line, blue)
at:1971 bar:Bucks $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1972 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:1973 bar:Knicks $champ mark:(line, blue)
at:1974 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1975 bar:Warriors $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:1976 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1977 bar:Trailblazers $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1978 bar:Wizards $champ mark:(line, darkblue)
at:1979 bar:Thunder $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1980 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:1981 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1982 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:1983 bar:76ers $champ mark:(line, royalblue)
at:1984 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1985 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:1986 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:1987 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:1988 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:1989 bar:Pistons $champ mark:(line, blue)
at:1990 bar:Pistons $champ mark:(line, blue)
at:1991 bar:Bulls $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1992 bar:Bulls $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1993 bar:Bulls $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1994 bar:Rockets $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1995 bar:Rockets $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1996 bar:Bulls $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1997 bar:Bulls $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1998 bar:Bulls $champ mark:(line, red)
at:1999 bar:Spurs $champ mark:(line, silver)
at:2000 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2001 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2002 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2003 bar:Spurs $champ mark:(line, silver)
at:2004 bar:Pistons $champ mark:(line, blue)
at:2005 bar:Spurs $champ mark:(line, silver)
at:2006 bar:Heat $champ mark:(line, darkred)
at:2007 bar:Spurs $champ mark:(line, silver)
at:2008 bar:Celtics $champ mark:(line, green)
at:2009 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2010 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2011 bar:Mavericks $champ mark:(line, royalblue)
at:2012 bar:Heat $champ mark:(line, darkred)
at:2013 bar:Heat $champ mark:(line, darkred)
at:2014 bar:Spurs $champ mark:(line, silver)
at:2015 bar:Warriors $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2016 bar:Cavs $champ mark:(line, burgundy)
at:2017 bar:Warriors $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2018 bar:Warriors $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2019 bar:Raptors $champ mark:(line, purple)
at:2020 bar:Lakers $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2021 bar:Bucks $champ mark:(line, green)
at:2022 bar:Warriors $champ2 mark:(line, yellow)
at:2023 bar:NuggetsII $champ mark: (line, black)

History of organizational changes

The following is a history of the organizational changes in the NBA, including contractions, expansions, relocations, and divisional realignment since the founding of the BAA in 1946.

BAA years (1946–1949)

1946: Founding of the BAA

The Basketball Association of America is formed with 11 teams, and divided into East and West divisions. Four of these teams fold after the season.

1947

The BAA plays with eight teams, with the Baltimore Bullets joining the league from the ABL.

1948

Four teams from the NBL, the Fort Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Jets, Minneapolis Lakers and the Rochester Royals, join the BAA. Both the Jets and the Providence Steamrollers fold after the season.

BAA–NBL merger (1949–1966)

1949: BAA–NBL merger

The ten surviving BAA teams merge with the six remaining teams from the NBL to form the NBA. The Indianapolis Olympians also join the merged league as an expansion team. The merged NBA realigns into three divisions.

1950 contraction

The NBA contracts to 11 teams, and realigns back to East and West divisions, after three clubs fold and three other teams jump to the NPBL. The Washington Capitols then also fold midway through the season.

1951: Hawks relocation to Milwaukee

The Tri-Cities Blackhawks move to Milwaukee to become the Milwaukee Hawks.

1953 and 1954 contraction

The league contracts to nine teams for the 1953–54 season after the Indianapolis Olympians fold. The Baltimore Bullets then fold 14 games into the 1954–55 season.

1955: Hawks relocation to St. Louis

The Milwaukee Hawks move to St. Louis to become the St. Louis Hawks.

1957: Pistons and Royals relocation

* The Fort Wayne Pistons move to Detroit to become the Detroit Pistons.
* The Rochester Royals move to Cincinnati to become the Cincinnati Royals.

1960: Lakers relocation to Los Angeles

The Minneapolis Lakers move to Los Angeles to become the Los Angeles Lakers.

1961 expansion

The Chicago Packers are enfranchised and are placed in the West Division, bringing the league back to nine teams.

1962: Warriors relocation and Chicago renaming

* The Philadelphia Warriors relocate to San Francisco to become the San Francisco Warriors. This results in the Warriors moving to the West Division, and the Cincinnati Royals moving to the East Division.
* The Chicago Packers are renamed the Chicago Zephyrs.

1963 relocations

* The Chicago Zephyrs move to Baltimore to become the new Baltimore Bullets.
* The Syracuse Nationals move to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers.

Expansion era (1966–1976)

1966 expansion

The Chicago Bulls are enfranchised and are placed in the West Division, while the Baltimore Bullets move to the East Division.

1967 expansion

The San Diego Rockets and the Seattle SuperSonics are enfranchised, bringing the league to 12 teams. Both expansion teams are placed in the West Division while the Detroit Pistons move to the East Division.

1968 expansion and relocation

* The Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns are enfranchised, bringing the league to 14 teams. The Bucks are placed in the East Division and the Suns in the West Division.
* The St. Louis Hawks move to Atlanta to become the Atlanta Hawks, but still stay in the West Division.

1970 expansion and realignment

The NBA expands to 17 teams with the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Portland Trail Blazers. The league realigns into four divisions and two conferences.

1971: Rockets and Warriors relocation

* The San Diego Rockets relocate to Houston to become the Houston Rockets.
* The San Francisco Warriors become the Golden State Warriors after the team moves across San Francisco Bay to Oakland.

1972: Royals relocation to Kansas City-Omaha

The Cincinnati Royals relocate and became the Kansas City–Omaha Kings, splitting their home games between Kansas City, Missouri and Omaha, Nebraska. This results in the Kings moving to the Midwest Division, the Houston Rockets moving to the Central, and the Phoenix Suns moving to the Pacific.

1973: Bullets relocation

The Baltimore Bullets become the Capital Bullets after they move to the Washington, D.C. suburb of Landover, Maryland.

1974 expansion

* The New Orleans Jazz are enfranchised as the league's 18th team and are placed in the Central Division
* The Capital Bullets are renamed the Washington Bullets.

1975: Kings play in Kansas City full-time

The Kansas City–Omaha Kings are renamed the Kansas City Kings after they decide to play in Kansas City full-time.

ABA–NBA merger (1976–1977)

The ABA–NBA merger. Four American Basketball Association franchises join the NBA: the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the New York Nets, and the San Antonio Spurs.

Post merger (1977–1988)

1977: Nets relocation to New Jersey

The New York Nets move to Piscataway, New Jersey to become the New Jersey Nets.

1978: Braves relocation to San Diego

The Buffalo Braves relocate to San Diego to become the San Diego Clippers. This results in the Clippers moving to the Pacific Division, the Detroit Pistons moving to the Central, and the Washington Bullets moving to the Atlantic.

1979: Jazz relocation to Utah

The New Orleans Jazz relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah to become the Utah Jazz. This results in the Jazz moving to the Midwest Division and the Indiana Pacers moving to the Central.

1980 expansion and realignment

The Dallas Mavericks are enfranchised as the league's 23rd team, and are placed in the Midwest Division. The NBA's two other Texas teams, the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs, move to the Midwest Division to join the Mavericks, while the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks move to the Central Division.

1984: Clippers relocation to Los Angeles

The San Diego Clippers move to Los Angeles to become the Los Angeles Clippers.

1985: Kings relocation to Sacramento

The Kansas City Kings move to Sacramento, California to become the Sacramento Kings.

Modern expansion era (1988–2004)

1988 expansion

The Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat are enfranchised to bring the league to 25 teams. The Hornets are placed in the Atlantic Division, the Heat in the Midwest Division, and the Sacramento Kings move to the Pacific Division.

1989 expansion

The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Orlando Magic are enfranchised as the league's 26th and 27th teams. The Timberwolves are placed in the Midwest Division, the Magic in the Central Division, the Charlotte Hornets move to the Midwest Division, and the Miami Heat move to the Atlantic Division.

1990: Hornets and Magic switch conferences

The Charlotte Hornets move to the Central Division, while the Orlando Magic move to the Midwest Division.

1991: Magic moves back to Eastern Conference

The Orlando Magic move to the Atlantic Division to reduce travel after spending the previous season in the Western Conference.

1995 expansion

The NBA expands into Canada as the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies are enfranchised as the league's 28th and 29th teams. The Raptors are placed in the Central Division and the Grizzlies are placed in the Midwest Division.

1997: Washington renaming

The Washington Bullets are renamed the Washington Wizards.

2001: Grizzlies relocation to Memphis

The Vancouver Grizzlies move to Memphis, Tennessee to become the Memphis Grizzlies.

2002: Hornets relocation to New Orleans

The Charlotte Hornets move to New Orleans to become the New Orleans Hornets.

Realignment (2004–present)

2004 expansion and realignment

The Charlotte Bobcats are enfranchised as the league's 30th team. The NBA realigns to create three divisions with five teams each in both conferences. The New Orleans Hornets are the only team to switch conferences, moving from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference.

2005: Hurricane Katrina impacts Hornets

Due to the damages caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets split their home games between New Orleans and Oklahoma City for two seasons, and thus officially play as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.

2007: Hornets return to New Orleans full-time

With damages caused by Hurricane Katrina fully repaired, the Hornets return to New Orleans full-time.

2008: SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City

The Seattle SuperSonics move to Oklahoma City to become the Oklahoma City Thunder.

2012: Nets relocation

The New Jersey Nets move to Brooklyn to become the Brooklyn Nets.

2013: New Orleans renaming

The New Orleans Hornets are renamed the New Orleans Pelicans.

2014: Charlotte renaming

The Charlotte Bobcats are renamed the Charlotte Hornets after the New Orleans Pelicans agree to return the original Charlotte Hornets' name, history, and records from 1988 to 2002 to the City of Charlotte.

See also

* Timeline of the National Football League
* Timeline of Major League Baseball
* History of organizational changes in the NHL

References

Sources

*

{{NBA seasons

NBA history
National Basketball Association