NBA Teams That Changed Names
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The NBA has had several teams change their names over the years. Here are some of the most notable name changes in NBA history
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division The team plays its home games at State Farm Arena.
The franchise was founded in 1946 as the Buffalo Bisons, a National Basketball League (NBL) charter member from Buffalo, New York. The Bisons were one of the last NBL teams to join the NBA when it merged with the rival league in 1949 and assumed their name after only two seasons. They reached the playoffs three times under their original name and post-merger era assistant coach/General Manager Red Auerbach before changing their name to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and relocating to Moline, Illinois, prior to the 1951–52 season following a series of team financial difficulties.
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets were originally known as the Charlotte Bobcats The team changed their name to the Hornets in 2014.
Miami Heat
Miami Heat is a Basketball team based in Miami, Florida. The team plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference The Heat were founded in 1988 as an expansion team. The team has won three NBA championships and has reached the NBA Finals five times.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and played its home games at the Milwaukee Arena from 1968 to 1988. Since 1998, the Bucks have played their home games at the Bradley Center and in 2017–18 will move to the new Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center.
The Bucks have won one NBA Championship (1971), two conference titles (1971 and 1974), and 13 division titles. They have featured such notable players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Oscar Robertson Bob Lanier, Sam Cassell, Junior Bridgeman, Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen Michael Redd, Terry Cummings, Vin Baker,Jon McGlocklin and Giannis Antetokounmpo
Minnesota Timberwolves
One team that has changed its name is the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves The team was founded in 1989 as the New Jersey Nets In 1996, the Nets moved to Brooklyn, and in 2017, the team changed its name to the Brooklyn Nets
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are a professional Basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division The team plays their home games at the Smoothie King Center
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder is a professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City Oklahoma. The Thunder competes in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Northwest Division The team plays its Home Games at Chesapeake Energy Arena
The franchise began play as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1967 as an expansion team. The SuperSonics were successful early on, winning their first division title in 1971. In 1996, Subsequently, the team relocated to Oklahoma City before the 2008–09 season due largely to restrictions imposed by the arena lease held by KeyArena.
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division The franchise was established as an expansion team in 1989, and play their home games at the Amway Center.
The Orlando Magic originally started out as the Midwest Division of the Western Conference but they changed their name to the Southwest Division when they relocated to Memphis, Tennessee. From there, they eventually became the Orlando Magic when they moved to Orlando, Florida.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers play their home games at Wells Fargo Center.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Southeast division The team plays its home games at the Capital One Arena, in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
The franchise was established in 1961 as the Chicago Packers based in Chicago, Illinois, and were renamed to the Chicago Zephyrs the following season. In 1963, they relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, and became the Baltimore Bullets, taking their name from a previous team of the same name that played in that city from 1947 to 1954. In 1973, the team changed its name to the Capital Bullets to reflect their move to the Capital Centre arena in Landover, Maryland (loosely based on their original name when based in Baltimore). The name was changed again to Washington Bullets following then-owner Abe Pollin’s 1968 Gun Control Act prohibits ownership group’s purchase of firearms. In 1997, they became known as just simply as Wizards when they moved into their current home arena; which was originally built as US Airways Arena but became MCI Center following a naming rights deal with American Airlines’ parent company AMR Corporation then later Verizon Center after Orr and Leonsis bought majority stake of ownership including Monumental Sports & Entertainment which include other teams like Washington Capitals (NHL) while keeping both inactive “Bullets” and “Lees” Basketball History including championship trophies through their years playing at Capital Centre/US Airways Arena/Verizon Center since 1973 up until present day hoping one day weapons will be ban for good worldwide and optionally hoping people will stop being shooting each other for good too could bring back “Bullets”.
