NOJNew Orleans Jazz

Franchise history

The Jazz joined the NBA as a 1974 expansion franchise, with the "Jazz" name chosen through a name-the-team contest as a nod to New Orleans's musical heritage — a fit so tied to the city that the name would later strike many as nonsensical once the franchise moved to snowy Utah. In May 1974, in one of the costliest trades in NBA history, the expansion Jazz sent Atlanta a package of their 1974 and 1975 first-round picks, two second-round picks, and two expansion selections to acquire LSU scoring legend Pete Maravich.

Maravich delivered dazzling, highlight-reel basketball, earning first-team All-NBA honors and leading the league in scoring at 31.1 points per game in 1976-77, including a 68-point outburst against the Knicks, but chronic knee injuries limited him for much of his New Orleans tenure. The Jazz drew large crowds at times in the Louisiana Superdome, including a one-night NBA attendance record, but a heavy local amusement tax and the fallout of the Maravich trade left the franchise thin on draft capital and chronically short of money. After finishing 26-56 in 1978-79, the worst record in the league, the Jazz relocated to Salt Lake City that summer.

Sources

• New Orleans Jazz (1974-79) — Fun While It Lasted
• Pete Maravich — Wikipedia