Oklahoma City .....

[TwinsTerritory]

I too think Red, White and Blue is to "original". They need something that most teams don't have. That was one good thing about the Sonics' colors.

I hope they do this 'soon' as their owner said. I can't wait to see what they finally come up with...

[Schilly]

[McCall]

First, on the alignment matter. They'll obviously stay in the Northwest for the upcoming season. Too late to make changes to that. For the next season, I'd say the following should be the new alignment:

PACIFIC DIVISION: LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Golden State, Portland, Sacramento

MIDWEST DIVISION: Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Utah

SOUTHWEST DIVISION: Remains Unchanged (Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, San Antonio)

There.

Talk about cutting the OKC franchise off at the start.

They will need the rivalry with the Texas teams. Put Memphis in the Midwest, OKC in the Southwest.

Memphis is the most eastern team in the entire conference and you want them in a division with Utah? Yes, a OKC/Texas teams rivalry would be great, but you have to have some geographical common sense in dealing with the alignment. This isn't the NFL where teams only play 8 regular season road games and all games for the entire league are played once a week at only a few different set start times, so teams like Dallas can be put in the East to keep up rivalries. Here, you need to put some close proximity between teams. This way, more of their games are within their own time zone, if it can be helped, so that their fans can watch them on tv when they're on the road, but don't have to wait until midnight to see them. This is why in MLB, the Rangers need out of the AL West. They're 2 frickin time zones away from their division-mates.

The only reason I called it the Midwest is because I didn't know what else to call it and I was just kinda returning the old division name which basically covered the same area before, just now with fewer teams. My proposed Pacific Division is a true Pacific division, all teams on the west coast (figuratively. I know Sacramento is further in land, but you get the idea.) Minnesota is still a bit out of place way up there and in a division with Utah/Phoenix/Denver, but it's the least amount of "out of placeness" that you can come up with, as compared to putting Memphis with those teams.

Switch Memphis with Milwaukee. Problem solved.

So Milwaukee, instead of Memphis, grouped with Utah? Just changes the players in the problem. Still unsolved.

[spartacat_12]

I love this colour scheme but I would choose Drillers, Copperheads, or Runners as the nickname. If they went with Runners the could use an "89" or "1889" in the logo.

[mania]

Is it really that different than pairing Minnesota with Utah? And this way, Milwaukee and Minnesota could build a geographic-centric rivalry, something neither city really has in proximity to where they are.

[jhans203]

Here is my alignment--

Western Conference

Pacific Division

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Southwest Division

Phoenix Suns

Houston Rockets

San Antonio Spurs

Dallas Mavericks

New Orleans Hornets

Midwest Division

Utah Jazz

Denver Nuggets

Milwaukee Bucks

Oklahoma City NBA Franchise

Minnesota Timberwolves

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

New York Knicks

New Jersey Nets

Philadelphia 76ers

Boston Celtics

Washington Wizards

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Bobcats

Orlando Magic

Miami Heat

Memphis Grizzlies

Central Division

Chicago Bulls

Indiana Pacers

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Toronto Raptors

[quantum]

With all the political correctness going on, there is no way Thunderbirds is going to be the name. People bitch about the name chiefs, and thunderbird is even more distinctly native american. I just don't see a major league approving such a name.

Other than Thunderbirds, Cyclones, Barons, Thunder or Twisters would all work well.

[Gothamite]

With all the political correctness going on, there is no way Thunderbirds is going to be the name. People bitch about the name chiefs, and thunderbird is even more distinctly native american.

I don't think they're in any way comparable.

Is there an issue with the Seahawks? Seattle Totems? Vancouver Canucks?

Using mythology or symbolism isn't nearly as problematic as the imagery of people from native cultures.

[quantum]

With all the political correctness going on, there is no way Thunderbirds is going to be the name. People bitch about the name chiefs, and thunderbird is even more distinctly native american.

I don't think they're in any way comparable.

Is there an issue with the Seahawks? Seattle Totems? Vancouver Canucks?

Using mythology or symbolism isn't nearly as problematic as the imagery of people from native cultures.

Chiefs isn't strictly native american, yet there is a fuss over the name. I think is is comparable, and I believe the league will shy away from it. And bringing up names employed years ago isn't the issue. In the here and now, the league will avoid any possible controversy.

[Gothamite]

With the arrowhead logo (and historical logo of the guy in loincloth and headdress), one is hard-pressed to argue that it's not native american.

Still, is there a fuss over it? Really? That's the one about which I've seen the least. If that's the best reason not to use Thunderbirds, they might as well order the jerseys now.

[quantum]

With the arrowhead logo (and historical logo of the guy in loincloth and headdress), one is hard-pressed to argue that it's not native american.

Still, is there a fuss over it? Really? That's the one about which I've seen the least. If that's the best reason not to use Thunderbirds, they might as well order the jerseys now.

I think the name is fine. But, I just don't think the league will allow it, however lame an excuse.

[JQK]

Western Conference

Pacific Division

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Southwest Division

Phoenix Suns

Utah Jazz

San Antonio Spurs

Denver Nuggets

Houston Rockets

Central Division

Oklahoma City

Dallas Mavericks

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

Memphis Grizzlies

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

New York Knicks

New Jersey Nets

Philadelphia 76ers

Boston Celtics

Washington Wizards

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Bobcats

Orlando Magic

Miami Heat

New Orleans Hornets

Great Lakes Division

Chicago Bulls

Indiana Pacers

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Toronto Raptors

[BBM]

Western Conference

Pacific Division

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Southwest Division

Phoenix Suns

Utah Jazz

San Antonio Spurs

Denver Nuggets

Houston Rockets

Central Division

Oklahoma City

Dallas Mavericks

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

Memphis Grizzlies

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

New York Knicks

New Jersey Nets

Philadelphia 76ers

Boston Celtics

Washington Wizards

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Bobcats

Orlando Magic

Miami Heat

New Orleans Hornets

Great Lakes Division

Chicago Bulls

Indiana Pacers

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Toronto Raptors

How can you POSSIBLY have Chicago and Milwaukee in different divisions no less conferences?

[gueman]

Your Okalahoma City Thunderbirds...

Just imagine all the promotional possibilities...Wino Wednesdays, Thirsty Thunderbird Thursday(free samples), Sober Sunday.

[cubbies06]

The Seattle Super Sonics of Oklahoma City

...you know...except for the fact that that ceased to be funny about 15 seconds after the Angels did it...

And yet every time something like this comes up, someone says it...

"every time something like this comes up" ?Thats odd, I didnt realize a major professional sports franchise re-locating was so commonplace....

[Ron Mexico]

I think he meant the "City Nickname of other City" joke that's been used on these boards ad nauseum ever since the Angels did it.

[boardname]

I haven't read through 8 pages of this yet, so i may be late to the party.. but I'd really, really like them to not use "Okalahoma City" and just go with "Oklahoma". I know they won't, but "Oklahoma City" is very wordy - that's 6 syllables, and you've not even gotten to the team name yet.

[Red Wolf]

My problem with using Oklahoma City over Oklahoma is just that it's a mouthful. Not really a big deal. But most importantly, they should be the Outlaws.

[Arts11]

Of the more popular suggestions, I'm leaning toward Barons for the team name, but I don't know how well-received it would be by your everyday citizen on the street though; it just doesn't really conjure up any real images you know? well maybe the image of a rich European guy but that's it. In that case, I guess Outlaws would work then since there's always the whole cowboy hat and bandanna imagery there. Thunderbirds is nice too, but every time I say the name, I get pictures of superheroes or those puppets from that 60s show in my head (Thunderbirds are GO!!!). Anyway, as long as it's not a snake name, I'll be cool. For some reason, I just utterly hate snake team identities/mascots.

[jhans203]

I haven't read through 8 pages of this yet, so i may be late to the party.. but I'd really, really like them to not use "Okalahoma City" and just go with "Oklahoma". I know they won't, but "Oklahoma City" is very wordy - that's 6 syllables, and you've not even gotten to the team name yet.

Just, because I am bored...here are the NBA names by syllables

PORT-LAND (2) TRI-AL-BLAZ-ERS (4)

SAC-RA-MENT-O (4) KINGS (1)

GOLD-EN-STATE (3) WAR-RI-ORS (3)

LOS-ANG-ELES (3) LAKE-RS (2)

LOS-ANG-ELES (3) CLIPP-ERS (2)

PHOE-NIX (2) SUNS (1)

U-TAH (2) JAZZ (1)

DEN-VER (2) NUGG-ETS (2)

DALL-AS (2) MAVE-RICKS (2)

HOUS-TON (2) ROCK-ETS (2)

SAN-AN-TON-IO (4) SPURS (1)

NEW-OR-LEANS (3) HORN-ETS (1)

MEM-PHIS (2) GRIZZ-LIES (2)

MINN-E-SOTA (3) TIM-BER-WOLVES (3)

MIL-WAUK-EE (3) BUCKS (1)

CHI-CA-GO (3) BULLS (1)

DE-TROIT (2) PIS-TONS (2)

IN-DI-ANA (3) PACE-RS (2)

CLEVE-LAND (2) CAV-A-LIERS (3)

TO-RON-TO (3) RAP-TORS (2)

PHIL-A-DEL-PHI-A (5) SEV-EN-TY-SIX-ERS (5)

NEW-YORK (2) KNICKS (1) or KNICK-ER-BOCK-ERS (4)

NEW-JERS-EY (3) NETS (1)

BOS-TON (2) CEL-TICS (2)

WASH-ING-TON (3) WIZ-ARDS (2)

AT-LAN-TA (3) HAWKS (1)

CHAR-LOTTE (2) BOB-CATS (2)

MI-AMI (2) HEAT (1)

OR-LAND-O (3) MAG-IC (2)

The easiest is the Knicks with a total of three and the most difficult is the Sixers. With that said here are the front runners for the new OKC team.

OK-LA-HOM-A CI-TY THUN-DER-BIR-DS (10)

OK-LA-HOM-A CI-TY THUN-DER (8)

OK-LA-HOM-A CI-TY OU-T-LAWS (9)

OK-LA-HOM-A CI-TY BAR-ONS (8)

I don't know even with just Oklahoma instead of OKC the name will be alot of syllables. I think something simple like Barons or Thunder would fit better IMO. I am partial to Thunderbirds though. But that is ONE long name.