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

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.^[1]