The Indianapolis Jets and Providence Steamrollers folded.
The BAA merged with the NBL to form the NBA.
The BAA teams from the Western Division were moved to a newly created Central Division.
The Anderson Packers, Denver Nuggets, Sheboygan Red Skins, Syracuse Nationals, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Waterloo Hawks joined from the NBL. All were placed in the Western Division, except the Nationals, who were placed in the Eastern Divsion.
The Indianapolis Olympians joined as an expansion team and were placed in the Western Division.
Team merged from NBL ^
First season in NBA *
Folded after this season †
Team merged from the NBL, but then jumped to the NPBL after this season §
Team merged from the NBL, but then folded after this season ^†
The Cincinnati Royals left Cincinnati and decided to split their home games between Kansas City, Missouri and Omaha, Nebraska, becoming the Kansas City–Omaha Kings. They moved from the Central to the Midwest Division.
The Houston Rockets moved from the Pacific to the Central Division.
The Phoenix Suns moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Division.
The Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat are enfranchised as the league's 24th and 25th teams. The Hornets are placed in the Atlantic Division and the Heat in the Midwest Division.
The Sacramento Kings moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Division.
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 and the Magic in the Central Division.
The Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat switched conferences. The Hornets moved from the Atlantic to the Midwest Division, while the Heat from the Midwest to the Atlantic Division.
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 in the Midwest Division.
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.
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]
