What Are the Oldest and Youngest Franchises in NBA History?

Nbcwashington · May 23, 2023 · 525 words · By Logan Reardon

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What to know about What Are the Oldest and Youngest Franchises in NBA History?

It’s been nearly 20 years since the NBA last added an expansion team.

Claims checked 24

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

It’s been nearly 20 years since the NBA last added an expansion team.

Why it matters

With rumors swirling about potential new franchises in Seattle, Las Vegas and even Mexico City, it’s a good time to look back at the history of the 30 active organizations.

Common ground

Stream NBC4 newscasts for free right here, right now.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: What Are the Oldest and Youngest Franchises in NBA History??
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The Minneapolis Lakers were founded in 1947, playing one season in the NBL and then entering the NBA?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/sports/what-are-the-oldest-and-youngest-franc…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 24 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 14

verified Verified By Reference 6

help Insufficient Evidence 2

check_circle Corroborated 1

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “The Minneapolis Lakers were founded in 1947, playing one season in the NBL and then entering the NBA.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 2: “Then the Fort Wayne Pistons, the team was semi-professional from 1937 to 1941 before playing in the NBL through 1948.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 3: “The New Orleans Pelicans are the youngest franchise in the NBA, having joined the league in 2002.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Multiple sources, including Wikipedia and a specialized sports history source, confirm the New Orleans Pelicans are the youngest franchise and joined the league in 2002 (via relocation).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2017–18 New Orleans Pelicans season was the 16th season of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pelicans were coached by Alvin Gentry in his third y…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017–18_New_Orleans_Pelicans_s…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025–26 New Orleans Pelicans season was the 24th season of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On November 15, 2025, head coach Willie Green was fired …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–26_New_Orleans_Pelicans_s…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Pelicans

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 4: “It’s been nearly 20 years since the NBA last added an expansion team.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While the provided evidence for claim 0 is generic, the evidence for claims 1, 3, and 4 confirms that the last expansion teams were the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies in 1995, and the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004. Given the current date (2025/2026 as per evidence), it has been approximately 21 years since the 2004 expansion, making 'nearly 20 years' a reasonably accurate factual statement.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2019–20 NBA season was the 74th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 22, 2019, and originally was scheduled to end on April 15, 2020. The 2020 N…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019–20_NBA_season

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 NBA playoffs is the ongoing postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2025–26 season. The playoffs began on April 18 and will end with the conclusion of the 2026 NBA Fina…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_NBA_playoffs

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On March 11, 2020, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the suspension of the 2019–20 season following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert testing positive for COVID-19, which occurred around …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_the_2019–20_NBA_…

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 5: “The Hornets played in Charlotte from 1988 to 2002”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this specific claim in the gathered results.

verified

Claim 6: “the 2004 Charlotte Bobcats expansion franchise its history back, technically making the then-New Orleans Hornets an expansion franchise in 2002.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The evidence confirms that the original Charlotte franchise moved to New Orleans in 2002 and that the Charlotte Bobcats were a separate expansion team. The 'Expansion of the NBA' Wikipedia entry explicitly notes that the Charlotte Hornets are regarded as a continuation of the original franchise, implying the New Orleans team's status changed relative to the new Charlotte expansion.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2002–03 New Orleans Hornets season was the inaugural season for the New Orleans Hornets in the National Basketball Association. After fourteen seasons in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Hornets rel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002–03_New_Orleans_Hornets_se…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New Orleans Pelicans are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_Orleans_Pelicans_s…

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+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 7: “They joined the NBA in 1949 and moved to Detroit in 1957.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 8: “The Blackhawks moved from Illinois to Milwaukee in 1951, changing their name to the Hawks.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 9: “Syracuse was home to the Nationals from 1949 through 1963, when the franchise moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 10: “They played in Minnesota until 1960, when the Lakers moved west to Los Angeles”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 11: “The Warriors eventually moved to San Francisco in 1962, then became the Golden State Warriors in 1971.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 12: “The Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2002.”

CORROBORATED

Both Wikipedia and a sports history article confirm the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver to Memphis in 2002.

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web search NEUTRAL — The Grizzlies had been created as an expansion team along with the Toronto Raptors in 1995. For the six seasons in Vancouver, the Grizzlies performed unsuccessfully; they only once finished better tha…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Grizzlies_relocation…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In 1995, two Canadian teams joined the NBA as expansion franchises: the Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. The Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2002.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/sports/what-are-the-oldes…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — After another consistent season in 2000-2001, Vancouver signed Dickerson to a 6-year , $43 million extension. So when the Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2001-2002, producing a Dickerson jersey was a no…
https://championblogger.com/blog/?p=2860

verified

Claim 13: “In 1995, two Canadian teams joined the NBA as expansion franchises: the Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and multiple web sources confirm the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies joined as expansion teams in 1995.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Grizzlies

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Toronto Tempo are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Tempo compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Tempo

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Vancouver. The Grizzlies competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Midwest Division of the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Grizzlies

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 14: “The Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets were added in 1988”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms the Miami Heat's first season was 1988-89, and another source confirms the Charlotte Hornets joined in 1988.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The 1988–89 Miami Heat season was the first season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association.The Heat made their NBA regular season debut on November 5, 1988, in which the team lost to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988–89_Miami_Heat_season

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 2 days ago · LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets have been eliminated from the NBA playoffs. Watch the highlights and reactions. #NBA #Hornets #LaMeloBall.
https://www.tiktok.com/@locoprezident43/video/76484986053885…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 1988. NBA expansion (as Charlotte Hornets). Minnesota Timberwolves.It's worth noting that this franchise does not share a history with the original Charlotte Hornets. The team that joined the NBA in 1…
https://www.si.com/nba/how-many-nba-teams-are-there-a-brief-…

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Claim 15: “the semi-professional team played in New York for over 20 years before joining the National Basketball League in 1945 and NBA in 1948.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 16: “Founded in 1923 as the Rochester Seagrams”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 17: “The Detroit Pistons are the only other franchise that was formed before the NBA was founded in 1946.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 18: “The Sacramento Kings wear the crown as the oldest NBA franchise.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 19: “The team moved from Charlotte to New Orleans that year [2002]”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and web search results explicitly state that the franchise moved from Charlotte to New Orleans in 2002.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 20: “Five current franchises were formed in 1946. The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Philadelphia Warriors were part of the NBA’s inaugural season, while the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and Syracuse Nationals played in the NBL before entering the NBA in 1949.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 21: “After just four seasons in Milwaukee, the Hawks moved to St. Louis from 1955 to 1968 before settling in Atlanta.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 22: “then rejoined the league as the Bobcats before returning to the Hornets name in 2014.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this specific claim in the gathered results.

info

Claim 23: “followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic in 1989.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for claim 7 consists of general geography of Minnesota and does not mention the NBA team. However, the claim is a known historical fact not contradicted by the evidence, but the specific provided evidence snippets for this claim are irrelevant.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Much of what is now Minnesota formed part of the vast French holding of Louisiana, which the United States purchased in 1803. After several territorial reorganizations, the Minnesota Territory was adm…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Minnesota, is in the north central United States. Near the geographic center of North America, it is bordered on the north by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, on the west by North Dakot…
https://mn.gov/portal/about-minnesota/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jan 23, 2024 · Minnesota, a state in the upper Midwest of the United States, borders Canada to the north, Lake Superior and Wisconsin to the northeast, Iowa to the south, and South Dakota and North Da…
https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/united-states/minnesota

schedule

Claim 24: “They’ve played in a number of locations under a variety of names: the Rochester Seagrams, Rochester Pros, Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, K.C.-Omaha Kings, Kansas City Kings and, since 1985, Sacramento Kings.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.