History of the New Orleans Pelicans
Finally, a new arena in Uptown, what would eventually become the Spectrum Center, was included in a non-binding referendum for a larger arts-related package, and Shinn withdrew his application to move the team.
While even the NBA acknowledged that Shinn had alienated fans, league officials felt such a demand would anger other owners as it could set a precedent.
In the first regular season NBA game played in New Orleans in over 17 years,[6] the Hornets defeated the Jazz 100–75, and posthumously retired #7 of "Pistol" Pete Maravich during halftime.
Despite nagging injuries to the teams's starting point guard, Baron Davis, the Hornets finished the season with a 47–35 record and qualified for the 2003 playoffs.
The Hornets began the 2003–04 season strong with a 17–7 start, but sputtered at the end and finished 41–41, narrowly missing home court advantage in the first round of the 2004 playoffs.
In a season marred by injury to the team's three all-stars (Baron Davis, Jamaal Magloire, and Jamal Mashburn) an 0–8 start became a 2–29 record.
As a result of the lack of success, the team's roster was reshaped, with older veterans like Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn traded to start the rebuilding process.
In these two seasons, the vast majority of home games were played at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, while a few remained at New Orleans Arena.
Brown to the Chicago Bulls for Tyson Chandler, let Speedy Claxton sign with the Atlanta Hawks, but filled their backup point guard position with free agents Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo.
League officials had stressed from the beginning the desire for the franchise to return to New Orleans once it proved feasible and that they would make a good-faith effort to assist with the recovery.
Subsequently, various corporate sponsorship agreements were signed (under the umbrella of the Crescent City Champions), with Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Capital One, and Cox Communications among them.
The Hornets made few organizational changes heading into the 2007–08 season, signing free agents Morris Peterson and Melvin Ely, while letting go of former first round draft pick Cedric Simmons.
The club also extended the contract of reserve guard Jannero Pargo and selected Kansas forward Julian Wright with the 13th pick in the 2007 NBA draft.
Swingman James Posey was signed as a free agent from the Boston Celtics in July, while reserve guard Jannero Pargo opted for the Russian Basketball Super League.
On February 18, the team announced that starting center Tyson Chandler had been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for forwards Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox in what was generally perceived as a payroll-shedding move.
[13] In the aftermath of the 2008–09 NBA season and the in-season attempt to trade starting center Tyson Chandler for expiring contracts, the New Orleans Hornets were widely perceived to be looking to trim the payroll.
Indeed, at the start of the NBA free agency period on July 1, the Hornets had the highest payroll of all teams in the league, topping $77 million.
On August 12, 2009, the Hornets traded starter Rasual Butler to the Clippers for a 2016 second round draft pick, in another attempt to lower the payroll.
First, backup center Hilton Armstrong was traded along with cash considerations to the Sacramento Kings for a conditional 2016 second round draft pick.
In the second to last game of January, Chris Paul was injured trying to save an errant pass going out of bounds and was out for most of the rest of the season.
Jeff Bower resigned as head coach to concentrate on his front office duties, but was fired by the Hornets on July 13, 2010, ending a tenure of nearly 15 years within the organization.
[19] To replace Bower as general manager, the Hornets hired Dell Demps of the San Antonio Spurs in late July.
[22] On September 23, 2010, the Hornets sent rookie Craig Brackins and power forward Darius Songaila to the Philadelphia 76ers for guard Willie Green and center Jason Smith.
[23] Finally, just before the start of the regular season on October 23, the Hornets acquired point guard Jerryd Bayless from the Portland Trail Blazers for a conditional first round draft pick.
[24] The overhaul of the roster lead to the team getting younger and more athletic and potentially while simultaneously cutting the relatively underperforming Peterson, Posey and Wright.
When the 2010–11 NBA season started, only three players (Paul, West and Stojakovic) were left from the team that won the Southwest Division two years prior.
[26] Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation who previously tried to buy the Golden State Warriors, said he offered to purchase the team but was "slightly outbid" by the league.
On July 11, 2012, Ryan Anderson, 2012's Most Improved Player and three-point field goals leader, was acquired in a sign-and-trade by the New Orleans Hornets, with the Orlando Magic, for Gustavo Ayón.
[42] Following the New Orleans franchise's 2013 disestablishment of the "Hornets" name, on May 21, 2013, Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan announced the organization had submitted an application to change the name of his franchise to the Charlotte Hornets for the 2014–15 NBA season pending a majority vote for approval by the NBA Board of Governors at a meeting in Las Vegas, on July 18, 2013.
[43] Then-NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO Adam Silver had previously pointed out the fact that the league owns the rights to the name Hornets and that could speed up the process.
