History of New Orleans Pelicans in Timeline
The New Orleans Pelicans are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, competing in the NBA's Western Conference, Southwest Division. Their home games are played at the Smoothie King Center.
1967: New Orleans Buccaneers Founding Member of ABA
In 1967, New Orleans became a founding member of the ABA with the New Orleans Buccaneers.
1970: New Orleans Buccaneers relocate to Memphis
In 1970, the New Orleans Buccaneers relocated to Memphis due to a lack of a dedicated arena and poor performance.
June 1974: New Orleans Jazz Expansion Franchise
In June 1974, New Orleans acquired an NBA expansion franchise: the New Orleans Jazz.
1976: Pete Maravich Scoring Championship
In the 1976-77 season, Pete "Pistol" Maravich won the scoring championship with 31.1 points per game while playing for the New Orleans Jazz.
1977: Jazz's Best Record in New Orleans
In the 1977-78 season, the New Orleans Jazz achieved their best record while in New Orleans, finishing 39-43.
1979: Jazz Relocation to Salt Lake City
In 1979-80, the New Orleans Jazz relocated to Salt Lake City due to logistical and financial issues.
1994: Timberwolves Relocation Attempt
In 1994, an ownership group attempted to purchase and relocate the Minnesota Timberwolves to New Orleans, but the NBA blocked the move due to financial problems.
1997: George Shinn Rape Allegation
In 1997, a Charlotte woman accused Hornets owner George Shinn of rape, severely damaging his reputation and contributing to a decline in the team's popularity.
October 30, 2002: Inaugural Season Opener in New Orleans
On October 30, 2002, the Hornets opened their inaugural season in New Orleans against the Utah Jazz, winning 100-75, and posthumously retired #7 of "Pistol" Pete Maravich during halftime.
2002: Hugo the Hornet part of the organization
In 2002, Hugo the Hornet was part of the New Orleans Pelicans organization.
2002: Landing Another Team
In 2002, New Orleans finally landed another team after attempting to chase the Vancouver Grizzlies.
2002: Relocation to New Orleans
In 2002, the Charlotte Hornets relocated to New Orleans and became the New Orleans Hornets, marking the team's establishment in the city.
2003: Playoff Loss and Coaching Change
In 2003, the Hornets were defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs. Following the season, head coach Paul Silas was unexpectedly fired and replaced with Tim Floyd.
2004: Clippers First-Round Draft Pick
A first-round draft pick acquired by the Clippers from a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2004.
2004: Charlotte Bobcats Playing
In 2004 the Charlotte Bobcats had been playing since 2004.
2004: Another Playoff Loss and Coaching Change
In 2004, the Hornets lost to the Miami Heat in the First Round of the playoffs. After the season, coach Tim Floyd was fired and replaced with Byron Scott.
2004: Move to Western Conference and Franchise-Worst Record
In the 2004-05 season, the New Orleans Hornets moved to the Western Conference's Southwest Division. The team finished the year with a franchise-worst record of 18-64.
2005: Temporary Relocation to Oklahoma City
Due to Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets franchise temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons and was known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
2006: Continued Relocation to Oklahoma City
In the 2006-07 season, the Hornets franchise continued to play the majority of their home games at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, remaining temporarily relocated due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
February 2007: Marketing Campaign Commences
In February 2007, a serious marketing campaign was commenced in New Orleans after the 2008 NBA All-Star Game and its accompanying festivities were awarded to the city.
2007: Return to New Orleans
In 2007, after spending two seasons in Oklahoma City, the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets returned to New Orleans for the 2007-08 season.
August 2008: New Logo and Uniforms Unveiled
In August 2008, the Hornets unveiled a modified logo and new uniforms featuring the colors of Creole blue, purple, and Mardi Gras gold, with the addition of pinstripes.
2008: Shinn Reflects on Hornets' Departure
In a 2008 interview, George Shinn admitted that his "bad judgment" and withdrawal from the public after a sexual assault trial contributed to the Hornets' departure from Charlotte.
2008: Most Successful Season and Division Title
In the 2007-08 season, the Hornets had their most successful season ever, finishing with a 56-26 record and winning their first division title, the Southwest Division. They reached the conference semifinals, losing to the San Antonio Spurs.
2009: Playoff Elimination
In the 2008-09 season, the Hornets finished with a 49-33 record and were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in five games in the first round of the 2009 playoffs.
December 2010: NBA Purchase of the Hornets
In December 2010, the NBA purchased the Hornets from George Shinn for an estimated $300 million.
2010: Coaching Change and New Alternate Uniform
In the 2009-10 season, the Hornets fired head coach Byron Scott after a 3-6 start, with Jeff Bower taking over coaching duties. The Hornets also introduced a new gold alternate uniform in 2010.
December 14, 2011: Chris Paul Trade to the Los Angeles Clippers
On December 14, 2011, the Hornets agreed to a deal to trade Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and a first-round draft pick.
2011: Playoff Appearance
In the 2010-11 season, the Hornets finished with a 46-36 record and qualified for the 2011 NBA playoffs, where they lost to the Lakers four games to two.
April 13, 2012: Tom Benson Purchases the Franchise
On April 13, 2012, Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints, purchased the Hornets franchise from the NBA for $338 million and announced plans to change the team name.
May 30, 2012: Hornets Awarded First Overall Pick and Draft Anthony Davis
On May 30, 2012, the New Orleans Hornets were awarded the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft and subsequently drafted Anthony Davis. They also drafted Austin Rivers.
June 2012: Saints Executives Appointed to Supervise Hornets
In June 2012, Tom Benson appointed Saints executives Mickey Loomis and Dennis Lauscha to supervise the Hornets' basketball and business operations, respectively.
July 11, 2012: Acquisition of Ryan Anderson
On July 11, 2012, Ryan Anderson, the 2012's Most Improved Player, was acquired by the New Orleans Hornets in a sign-and-trade with the Orlando Magic for Gustavo Ayón.
December 4, 2012: Name Change to Pelicans Announced
On December 4, 2012, it was reported that the Hornets would change their name to the New Orleans Pelicans beginning with the 2013-14 season.
January 24, 2013: Name Change Confirmed
On January 24, 2013, the Hornets organization officially confirmed the name change to the New Orleans Pelicans in a press conference, unveiling the team's new logos and color scheme.
April 18, 2013: Official Name Change to Pelicans
On April 18, 2013, after the end of the team's 2012-13 season, the team's name was officially changed to the Pelicans.
May 21, 2013: Bobcats' name change application
On May 21, 2013, Charlotte Bobcats' owner Michael Jordan officially announced that the organization had submitted an application to change the name of his franchise to the Charlotte Hornets for the 2014–15 season.
June 27, 2013: Pelicans select Nerlens Noel and trade for Jrue Holiday
On June 27, 2013, during the 2013 NBA draft, the Pelicans selected Nerlens Noel 6th overall, and traded him along with a 2014 protected first-round pick for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday of the Philadelphia 76ers and the 42nd pick, Pierre Jackson.
July 18, 2013: NBA Board approves Bobcats' name change
On July 18, 2013, the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the name change of the Charlotte Bobcats to the Charlotte Hornets, with the change to take effect starting with the 2014–15 season.
August 1, 2013: Pelicans release new uniforms
On August 1, 2013, the New Orleans Pelicans released their new uniforms featuring a 'New Orleans' wordmark logo inspired by French Quarter street signs. The partial logo appeared on the sides of the shorts, and the "Bird-de-Lis" logo was on the back neck.
October 30, 2013: Introduction of Pierre the Pelican
On October 30, 2013, Pierre the Pelican was introduced as the official mascot for the New Orleans Pelicans during the opening night of the regular season against the Indiana Pacers.
2013: Name Change to Pelicans
In 2013, the New Orleans Hornets announced that they would change their name to the New Orleans Pelicans.
February 11, 2014: Redesign of Pierre the Pelican's head
On February 11, 2014, the redesigned head of Pierre the Pelican, the mascot, was released.
May 20, 2014: Hornets get original franchise records
On May 20, 2014, at a press conference, it was announced that the Pelicans agreed to transfer the records and statistics of the original Hornets (1988–2002) to the current Charlotte franchise, unifying all of Charlotte's NBA basketball history under one franchise. The Pelicans retained records and statistics since the 2002 move to New Orleans, retroactively turning the Pelicans into a 2002 expansion team.
September 23, 2014: Pelicans unveil red alternate uniform for 2014–15 season
On September 23, 2014, the New Orleans Pelicans introduced a red alternate uniform for the 2014–15 season. The NBA announced its league logo would move to the back neck of the jerseys, replacing the "Bird-de-Lis" logo.
2014: Pelicans qualify for NBA playoffs
During the 2014–15 season, the Pelicans qualified for the NBA playoffs for the first time under the Pelicans name, finishing with a 45–37 record as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They were swept by the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
2014: Hornets trademark sold to Charlotte franchise
In 2014, the New Orleans Pelicans sold the Hornets trademark to the Charlotte franchise.
May 31, 2015: Alvin Gentry hired as head coach
On May 31, 2015, the Pelicans hired Alvin Gentry as the franchise's sixth head coach.
September 17, 2015: Pelicans unveil new alternate "Pride" uniform
On September 17, 2015, the New Orleans Pelicans unveiled a new alternate uniform as part of the NBA's "Pride" uniforms for the 2015–16 season. The short-sleeved uniforms featured Mardi Gras' signature colors – purple, green and gold.
2016: Pelicans miss playoffs, draft Buddy Hield
In 2016, the Pelicans missed the NBA playoffs, finishing with a 30–52 record. They acquired the 6th pick in the 2016 NBA draft from the draft lottery and selected Buddy Hield from the University of Oklahoma.
February 20, 2017: Pelicans acquire DeMarcus Cousins
On February 20, 2017, the Pelicans acquired DeMarcus Cousins in a trade with the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2017 second-round pick.
2017: Pelicans receive minor uniform tweaks upon switching to Nike
In 2017, the Pelicans received minor tweaks to their uniforms upon switching to Nike as the uniform supplier. The white "Association" and navy "Icon" uniforms now featured an enlarged and condensed treatment of the "New Orleans" wordmark.
February 1, 2018: Pelicans acquire Nikola Mirotić
On February 1, 2018, the Pelicans acquired Nikola Mirotić in a trade with the Chicago Bulls for Ömer Aşık, Jameer Nelson, and Tony Allen. The Pelicans also received a 2018 second-round pick.
March 15, 2018: Tom Benson passes away, ownership transferred
On March 15, 2018, Tom Benson died from complications of the flu. Ownership of the Pelicans and the Saints were transferred to Benson's widow, Gayle Benson.
April 9, 2018: Pelicans clinch playoff spot
On April 9, 2018, the Pelicans clinched a playoff spot, finishing with a 48–34 record. They swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round before losing to the Golden State Warriors in five games.
2018: Pelicans wear "Earned" edition uniform
During the 2018–19 season, the Pelicans wore an "Earned" edition uniform as a reward for qualifying in the 2018 playoffs.
April 17, 2019: David Griffin named VP of Basketball Operations
On April 17, 2019, the Pelicans named David Griffin as the new executive vice president of basketball operations.
May 14, 2019: Pelicans win NBA Draft Lottery
On May 14, 2019, the Pelicans received the first overall pick at the NBA draft lottery of the 2019 NBA draft, despite having a six percent chance to win it.
May 19, 2019: Trajan Langdon named General Manager
On May 19, 2019, the Pelicans named former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager Trajan Langdon their newest general manager, replacing interim general manager Danny Ferry.
June 15, 2019: Pelicans agree to trade Anthony Davis to Lakers
On June 15, 2019, the Pelicans agreed to trade Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return, the Lakers agreed to send Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks, including the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, to the Pelicans.
June 20, 2019: Pelicans draft Zion Williamson
On June 20, 2019, the Pelicans selected Zion Williamson with the first overall pick. The team also drafted Alen Smailagić and Jordan Bone, both of whom were immediately traded to the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks, respectively. The Pelicans then received Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Marcos Louzada Silva from the Hawks.
July 6, 2019: Davis Trade completed
On July 6, 2019, the three-way trade involving Anthony Davis was completed, marking the end of an era for the Pelicans.
December 30, 2019: Brandon Ingram named Western Conference Player of the Week
On December 30, 2019, Brandon Ingram was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played between December 23 to 29. During the week, Ingram averaged 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 54.2 percent from three-point range.
January 16, 2020: Ingram scores career-high 49 points
On January 16, 2020, Brandon Ingram recorded a career-high by scoring 49 points in a 138–132 overtime win against the Utah Jazz. Ingram gave the Pelicans a one-point lead with a fadeaway jumper with 0.2 seconds remaining in regulation.
August 9, 2020: Pelicans eliminated from postseason contention
On August 9, 2020, the Pelicans were eliminated from postseason contention when the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers.
2020: Pelicans' "City" uniform modeled after New Orleans city flag
For the 2020–21 season, the Pelicans' "City" uniform deviated from the Mardi Gras theme of previous years and was modeled after the New Orleans city flag.
2021: Pelicans wear "City" uniforms bearing current color scheme
In 2021, for the 2021–22 season, the New Orleans Pelicans wore white "City" uniforms bearing the current color scheme and "NOLA" lettering shaped to resemble a bird in flight.
April 13, 2022: Pelicans defeat Spurs in play-in tournament
On April 13, 2022, the Pelicans defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113–103 at home in the first round of the play-in tournament.
2022: Pelicans' "City" uniform brought back the Mardi Gras-inspired design
In 2022, the New Orleans Pelicans' 2022–23 "City" uniform brought back the Mardi Gras-inspired design they last wore in the 2018–19 season, but with a dark purple base.
2023: Pelicans update red "Statement" uniform
Prior to the 2023–24 season, the Pelicans updated their red "Statement" uniform, now featuring the words "Crescent City" in white letters with navy blue trim surrounding navy blue numbers with white trim. Their "City" uniform for the season featured a black base with neon green letters, which were inspired by the vibrant night life of New Orleans.
2024: "City" uniform mixed with Mardi Gras-inspired look
In 2024, the New Orleans Pelicans' "City" uniform used in the 2024–25 season mixed last season's uniform with the Mardi Gras-inspired look of the 2022–23 "City" uniform.
2024: Blockbuster trade: Murray to Pelicans
In the 2024 off-season, a blockbuster trade sent 2022 All-Star Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans in exchange for 2022 lottery pick Dyson Daniels to the Atlanta Hawks along with Larry Nance Jr., E.J Liddell, Cody Zeller and some future draft picks.
February 6, 2025: Ingram traded to Raptors
On February 6, 2025, Brandon Ingram was traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for guard-forward Bruce Brown, center Kelly Olynyk, a 2026 first-round draft pick (via Indiana) and a 2031 second-round draft pick.
October 2025: Pelicans to play preseason games in Melbourne
In October 2025, the Pelicans will play two preseason games at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne as part of the NBA x NBL: Melbourne Series. The announcement was made on March 10.
October 24, 2025: Roster Update
The New Orleans Pelicans roster was updated on October 24, 2025.
Mentioned in this timeline
Basketball is a team sport played on a rectangular court...
Michael Jordan often known as MJ is a businessman and...
The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team based...
Anthony Davis nicknamed AD and the Brow is an American...
Christopher Emmanuel Paul known as CP is a highly decorated...
Zion Williamson is a professional basketball player currently playing for...
Trending
The title Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was bestowed upon Prince Arthur Queen Victoria's third son on May Alongside the...
6 months ago Ohio Paychecks, Trump Tax Bill, and Senate Republicans' Megabill Concerns
Sir Julian Murray Lewis is a British Conservative Party politician currently the Member of Parliament for New Forest East since...
Carnell Tate is a promising American college football wide receiver currently playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes He is a...
2 hours ago Zachariah Branch NFL Draft prospects and buzz around Georgia youngsters emerge.
3 hours ago Granit Xhaka: From Arsenal Midfielder to Sunderland's Saviour and Arteta's Praised Signing
Popular
Nancy Pelosi is a prominent American politician notably serving as...
Zohran Kwame Mamdani is an American politician currently serving as...
William Franklin Graham III commonly known as Franklin Graham is...
Chuck Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New...
Gavin Newsom is an American politician and businessman currently serving...
Abigail Spanberger is an American politician who served as the...