NBA Basketball: New Orleans Hornets

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The New Orleans Hornets are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play in the Southwest Division of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The franchise began play during the 1988-89 NBA season as the Charlotte Hornets, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they were located until the end of the 2001-02 NBA season.

Due to damage caused by Hurricane Katrina the team temporarily played a split-schedule in New Orleans and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, but the team has since returned full-time to New Orleans.

2007-present: March Back to the Big Easy
Personnel-wise, the Hornets stood largely pat heading into the 2007-2008 season. They did however sign free agents Morris Peterson and Melvin Ely, while letting go of former first round draft pick Cedric Simmons. Further, the club extended the contract of reserve guard Jannero Pargo, and selected Kansas forward Julian Wright with the 13th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Healthier than previous seasons, the Hornets stormed to a 29-12 record at the halfway mark. Having the best record in the Western Conference on February 3rd meant that Byron Scott would coach the 2008 Western Conference All-Stars at home in the New Orleans Arena. Scott was joined by two of his players, as both Chris Paul and David West were selected as All-Star reserves. Chris Paul was nominated for NBA MVP 2008 and placed 2nd in voting. On February 21st the Hornets made an in-season trade with the Houston Rockets acquiring swingman Bonzi Wells and backup point guard Mike James for veteran guard Bobby Jackson.