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+----- Thread: NBA if teams never relocated (/thread-1026788.html)
NBA if teams never relocated - chargeradio - 03-24-2026 08:34 PM
If you truly want to run it ALL back:
Sacramento Kings > Rochester Royals
Philadelphia 76ers > Syracuse Nationals
Golden State Warriors > Philadelphia Warriors
Oklahoma City Thunder > Seattle Supersonics
Los Angeles Lakers > Minneapolis Lakers
Los Angeles Clippers > Buffalo Braves
Utah Jazz > New Orleans Jazz
Washington Wizards > Chicago Zephyrs
Atlanta Hawks > Tri-Cities Blackhawks
Detroit Pistons > Fort Wayne Pistons
Brooklyn Nets > New Jersey Americans
New Orleans Pelicans > Charlotte Hornets (original)
Memphis Grizzlies > Vancouver Grizzlies
Houston Rockets > San Diego Rockets
I am assuming the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, and Minnesota Timberwolves are the Washington Bulls, Atlanta Bobcats, and Detroit Timberwolves.
So with just the existing 30 teams:
Western Conference
Pacific - Vancouver Grizzlies, Seattle Supersonics, Portland Trailbalzers, Phoenix Suns, San Diego Rockets
Central - Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Jazz, Minneapolis Lakers
Midwest - Milwaukee Bucks, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Chicago Zephyrs, Fort Wayne Pistons, Indiana Pacers
Eastern Conference
Atlantic - Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Buffalo Braves, Syracuse Nationals, Rochester Royals
Northeast - Detroit Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Americans, Philadelphia Warriors
Southeast - Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Bobcats, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Washington Bulls
I doubt most of the Southeast Division would have actually happened, as the 80s/90s expansion probably would have given us Los Angeles, Houston, and San Francisco instead of Charlotte, Orlando, and Miami; in that case Indiana, Fort Wayne, and Chicago shift to the East. That's also not to mention any effects on the ABA's "merger" with the NBA. The Canadian expansion may also not have happened with key US markets still available.
I would suspect the NBA would look like this in 2028 with expansion to Miami and Charlotte:
Western Conference
Northwest - Vancouver Grizzlies, Seattle Supersonics, Portland Trailbalzers, Denver Nuggets
Pacific - Los Angeles, Phoenix Suns, San Diego Rockets, San Francisco
Southwest - San Antonio Spurs, Houston, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Jazz
Midwest - Milwaukee Bucks, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Minneapolis Lakers, Chicago Zephyrs
Eastern Conference
Atlantic - Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, New Jersey Americans, Philadelphia Warriors
Northeast - Toronto Raptors, Buffalo Braves, Rochester Royals, Syracuse Nationals
Central - Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Fort Wayne Pistons, Detroit Timberwolves
Southeast - Washington Bulls, Atlanta Bobcats, Miami, Charlotte
The NBA eventually expands to 40 with Utah (Northwest), Las Vegas (Pacific), Oklahoma City (Southwest), Kansas City (Midwest), Orlando (Southeast), Louisville (Central), Montreal (Northeast), and Nashville (Southeast, Washington moves to Northeast)