The NBA’s oldest franchise, having begun life in 1923 as a Seagram distillery company team, they won a title in 1951 as the Rochester Royals but have stumbled through later stints in Cincinnati, Kansas City, Omaha, and Sacramento.
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The name game: 13 current NBA franchises that have changed names
Some do it because they’ve moved, some do it just to re-brand, and others have more questionable motives. These are the 13 NBA teams out of the current 30 that have, at some point, changed names.
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- Bob Cousy tenure as coach
- Conference Finals upset over Lakers (as Rochester Royals, 1951)
- Drafting and trading Billy Owens
- George Mikan injury playing part in 1951 NBA title (as Rochester Royals)
- In the 1949 Western Conference Finals (“Virtual NBA Finals”) (as Rochester Royals)
- In the 2002 Western Conference Finals (“Virtual NBA Finals”)
- Lengthy playoff drought
- Name change from Royals to Kings
- Playing games in Kemper Arena (as Kansas City Kings)
- Re-alignment from Eastern Conference to Western Conference
- Re-location from Rochester to Cincinnati
- Re-location from Cincinnati to Kansas City
- Re-location from Kansas to Sacramento
- Retiring a jersey for the “Sixth Man”
- Rivalry with Lakers
- Rivalry with Syracuse Nationals (as Rochester Royals)
- Upsetting the Trail Blazers in the 1981 playoffs first round
- Vlade Divac tenure as general manager