List of relocated National Basketball Association teams

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional men's basketball league, consisting of 30 teams in North America—29 in the United States and one in Canada. The NBA was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[1] It adopted the name National Basketball Association at the start of the 1949–50 season when it absorbed the National Basketball League (NBL).[1] The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball, which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) as the national governing body for basketball in the country.[2] The league is considered to be one of the four major professional sports leagues of North America.[3]

Relocated teams

The list contains current franchises in the NBA. It does not include name changes.[4]

First First year in original city
Last Last year in original city
Win% Winning percentage
PA NBA Playoffs appearances
C Championship titles
^ City later received a new franchise
* Later relocated again
TeamFirstLastRelocated toSeasonsWin%PACMain reasonRef
Tri-Cities Blackhawks19491951Milwaukee Hawks*2.40910Small city
Milwaukee Hawks^19511955St. Louis Hawks*4.32400
Fort Wayne Pistons19481957Detroit Pistons9.50680Small city
Rochester Royals19481957Cincinnati Royals*9.57671Lack of profitability
Minneapolis Lakers^19481960Los Angeles Lakers12.545115Poor attendance[5]
Philadelphia Warriors^19461962San Francisco Warriors16.506122Sold to San Francisco owner
Chicago Zephyrs^19611963Baltimore Bullets*2.26900
Syracuse Nationals19491963Philadelphia 76ers14.569141
St. Louis Hawks19551968Atlanta Hawks13.550121Sold to Atlanta owners
San Diego Rockets^19671971Houston Rockets4.36310Sold to Houston ownership group after original owner Robert Breitbard came under financial distress due to tax assessment issues surrounding the arena he developed, the San Diego International Sports Center[6]
Cincinnati Royals19571972Kansas City–Omaha Kings*15.46770
Baltimore Bullets19631973Capital Bullets§10.49370
Kansas City–Omaha Kings19721975Kansas City Kings*3.45910Moved all games to Kansas City
Buffalo Braves19701978San Diego Clippers*8.39530Sale to California owner Irv Levin
New Orleans Jazz^19741979Utah Jazz5.39300Lack of profitability
San Diego Clippers19781984Los Angeles Clippers6.37800Sold to Donald Sterling, who wanted the team in his hometown and eventually succeeded in relocation.
Kansas City Kings19751985Sacramento Kings10.46540Low attendance
Vancouver Grizzlies19952001Memphis Grizzlies6.22000Financial problems caused by low attendance and the weak Canadian dollar; sold to Michael Heisley with the intention of moving the team to Memphis.[7]
New Orleans Hornets ^20022005New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets*3.51220Damage to the New Orleans metropolitan area caused by Hurricane Katrina forced the Hornets to play most of their home games in Oklahoma City.[8][9]
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets^20052007New Orleans Hornets2.47000The Hornets returned to New Orleans for the 2007–08 season after repairs to the team's home arena were completed. The team was renamed the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013.[10]
Seattle SuperSonics19672008Oklahoma City Thunder41.524221Financial problems exacerbated by the failure to provide funds for a new arena in Seattle; sold to Clay Bennett in 2006 who concealed the intention of moving the team to Oklahoma City.[11][12]
Toronto Raptors+19952020Toronto/Tampa Bay Raptors25---The Raptors will play their home games at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League for the 2020-21 season. This is due to the COVID-19 cross-border travel restrictions imposed by the Government of Canada.[13]

§The Capital Bullets later became the Washington Bullets, then the Washington Wizards.
+Active franchise

See also

References
  1. Goldaper, Sam (17 April 2006). "The First Game". NBA.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  2. "Inside USA Basketball". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on 11 June 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  3. Pennington, Bill (April 4, 2003). "Drugs; Anti-Doping Executive Plans to Prod Pro Leagues". The New York Times. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  4. "Team Index". Sport Reference. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  5. "History of the Lakers". Lakers.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  6. "Owners, fans waited years before Rockets took off". Houston Chronicle. September 16, 2001. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  7. Beamish, Mike (February 19, 2011). "NBA dreams rekindled, 10 years after Grizzlies' demise". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on February 23, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  8. "Hornets to Play in Oklahoma City". Pelicans.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. September 21, 2005. Retrieved September 21, 2005.
  9. Smith, Jimmy (September 21, 2005). "The buzz is Oklahoma City – Hornets will play 35 games there, six at the PMAC". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. C5.
  10. Longman, Jeré (November 1, 2007). "Putting the New Orleans in the New Orleans Hornets". The New York Times. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  11. "NBA Commissioner David Stern Statement on Settlement Between Sonics and the City of Seattle". NBA.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. July 2, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  12. Brunner, Jim; Pian Chan, Sharon (July 2, 2008). "Sonics, city reach settlement". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  13. "Toronto Raptors to Start Season in Tampa". SI.com. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
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