A team moving from one location to another could happen for a bunch of reasons. From interest to the size of the city to more money elsewhere, there are many different reasons for a team to move. There have been 19 relocations throughout the history of the NBA so let’s rank them from worst to best.
19. St. Louis Hawks
They did not stay in Milwaukee long as after four seasons, this team was on the move as they moved to St. Louis. This is something that scratches my head as St. Louis is not known as a basketball town for a reason.
18. New Orleans Hornets
We are not counting the Oklahoma City move after Hurricane Katrina for a little while buyt the shift from the Charlotte Hornets to the New Orleans Hornets. This Bobcats/Hornets fiasco doesn’t make sense to me and low attendance in North Carolina brought a team to New Orleans. Did they not learn from the Jazz (which we will talk about later)?
17. Sacramento Kings
Sacramento is the capital of California. They got the kings after they spent a decade in Kansas City and moved due to low attendance. The Kings were ultimately the fourth team in the NBA from the state of California and the media market doesn’t help either but they are lighting the beam.
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16. Kansas City-Omaha Kings
I am not a fan of two cities sharing a team. I did not like it when the Tampa Bay Rays were talking about doing it and Kansas City and Omaha are definitely not two cities that should do it either. Bad call all around from leaving Cincinnati to that monstrosity.
15. San Diego Clippers
The move from Buffalo, New York to San Diego, California is not the issue. The fact they were the third team to join and San Diego’s media market is not sustainable enough to support a basketball team with high payroll. There’s a reason they did not stay long.
14. Oklahoma City Thunder
This move was very strange as it is the most recent team to relocate. Originally the Seattle SuperSonics, financial issues and not being able to create the funds for a new stadium. They were sold to Clay Bennett and moved to Oklahoma City. Seattle was an incredible basketball city and hopefully comes back soon.
13. Milwaukee Hawks
The first relocation as they were the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and left a small city to be part of the city of Milwaukee. This was a decent move but first play to move is Milwaukee? Little interesting if you ask me.
12. Utah Jazz
The lack of profitability in New Orleans forced the Jazz to leave after five seasons to Salt Lake City, Utah. The name doesn’t make sense there but they are not the only team with that issue. Not the best location either but it has a whole state backing it.
11. Cincinnati Royals
Spending nine seasons in Rochester, New York is tough for profitability. If you were to look at a map, you couldn’t figure out where it even is. Moving to Cincinnati, Ohio is a better option for a franchise. There’s a reason there are no teams located in Rochester and a few in Cincinnati to this day.
10. Kansas City Kings
Moving from a split city team from Kansas City and Omaha to just one central location is smart. After three seasons, it makes a lot of sense. Good move by the ownership as split or sister cities are not good for the fanbase as a whole.
9. Atlanta Hawks
Going from St. Louis to Atlanta is a positive move as Atlanta is a better basketball city. They also were a winning team as they made the postseason in 12 of their 13 years in St. Louis. Changing in ownership is the reason and it took the Hawks to the next level.
8. Capital Bullets
Having a team around the nation’s capital is critically acclaimed as Baltimore has proven to be a big draw. The branding to Capital is a little cringy but the move was great and from 1989 to 1997, they did play select home games in Baltimore to pay homage to the 10 seasons the organization was homed there.
7. Detroit Pistons
The Fort Wayne Pistons decided that after nine seasons, the city of Fort Wayne was too small for them to develop into a contender. In nine seasons, they only missed the postseason once so it was not because a lack of success either. The team moved 162.2 miles after the 1957 season and found a permanent home in Detroit.
6. Los Angeles Clippers
It’s hard to move to Los Angeles for a franchise and not say it is a great move. They became the little brothers to the Lakers but the media market is a lot larger and that makes things a lot better for the team. Unfortunate we have to thank Donald Sterling for it though.
5. Houston Rockets
In 1971, the San Diego Rockets were sold after Robert Bretbard dealt with tax assessment issues surrounding the San Diego International Sports Center he developed. After spending four seasons in San Diego, the Rockets were sold and relocated to Houston, Texas. This move was amazing as it gave them a permanent home for more than 50 years and makes a lot more sense for the name of the franchise.
4. Philadelphia 76ers
From 1949 to 1963, the Syracuse Nationals were a middling NBA team. However, they moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers and the rest of history. This is a great change and one of the best rebrands/relocations in NBA history.
3. San Francisco Warriors
The Philadelphia Warriors were around for 16 seasons until they were sold to an owner that wanted to take it to the opposite coast. However, this team has really had an incredible boost on the west coast. Maybe it is the winning ways clouding the judgment but the move was a success.
2. Memphis Grizzlies
While it was awesome to see two teams in Canada, the Vancouver Grizzlies was a bit of a nightmare. They spent six years in Vancouver and failed to draw much fanfare as well as financial issues. The team had a .220 winning percentage in the six seasons from 1995-2001 as well so the move to Memphis was a great relocation.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
The Minneapolis Lakers decided to make the move after spending from 1948-1960 in the Twin Cities. Despite the team name not making sense, this move made the Lakers box office.
