HoopsHype.com Rumors

Rick Bonnell: There's a misconception Hornets name change took less than 18 months. Benson made request even before closing on purchase. Twitter @rick_bonnell

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Pelicans, Michael Jordan, Tom Benson, Charlotte Hornets 

The 2008 departure of the Sonics has appeared to influence Stern's approach to the movement of franchises -- and therefore made it more difficult for Seattle to regain an NBA franchise. When the Hornets were in danger of being sold to an owner who might have moved the franchise out of New Orleans, Stern took the drastic step of using NBA money to buy the franchise. He was committed to keeping the team in New Orleans and sold the team for $338 million to Tom Benson, the local owner of the Saints, who next season will rebrand them as the Pelicans while entrenching the team in Louisiana. "He can't have a second incident of helping a team leave a market," said an NBA owner of Stern. "Seattle was bad enough. And I'm sure he feels that Seattle had a chance to keep the team the first time around. "The bottom line is that the incumbent always gets the last shot. You don't want teams moving around." SI.com

New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Tom Benson 

John Reid: Kentucky Coach John Calipari and assistant coach Kenny Payne are guests of Hornets owner Tom Benson and will be seated courtside tonight. Twitter @JohnReid64

New Orleans Pelicans, John Calipari, Tom Benson, Kenny Payne 

Gayle and Tom Benson have pledged $5 million to Loyola University for scholarships for undergraduate students needing financial help. The gift, which Loyola announced Thursday, will be distributed over five years. The money will be divided into two parts, with $1 million for immediate-use scholarships and $4 million for an endowment that will generate financial aid for sophomores, juniors and seniors who have a grade-point average of at least 3.0, said Chris Wiseman, Loyola's associate vice president for development. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Pelicans, Tom Benson 

After he takes over, Silver promises to conduct the league’s business much the same way Stern has done over the last three decades that has helped the NBA emerge globally. "I’ve been here for 20 years, so I’ve been part of those plans,’’ Silver said. "Most of the senior management from the NBA is here sitting in the front row, so it will be the same team of people that continue to look at those opportunities. I think we’ll continue to do that the same way we have under David’s leadership.’’ Jay Cicero, the CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, said Silver likes New Orleans. It’s also likely Hornets owner Tom Benson will make a push to bring more All-Star Games to New Orleans. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Pelicans, David Stern, Adam Silver, Tom Benson 

In keeping with a promise to re-brand the NBA team he purchased from the league last April, New Orleans Hornets owner Tom Benson officially announced Thursday afternoon that the Hornets’ name will switch to the New Orleans Pelicans. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Pelicans, Tom Benson 

The NBA's Board of Governors already has approved the name change. And the Pelicans’ team colors will be blue, red and gold “This isn’t something that was just done overnight,” Benson said. “This is a long process. We are not just changing the name to change the name. The Hornets name came from Charlotte. That fits in with Charlotte. It doesn’t fit into New Orleans, La., or our area here. The Hornets don’t mean anything here. We needed something that symbolizes New Orleans and Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. And nothing does that better than this name.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Pelicans, Tom Benson 

“We really wanted to find that iconic name that really is special to New Orleans, that has a special New Orleans feel that our fans can resonate with and say hey ‘that is new Orleans that is our culture that is who we are. We wanted to find that iconic symbol just like the fleur de lis is for the Saints.” While the name of the team will remain the Hornets for the remainder of this season, the new logo and name will begin popping up almost immediately. Some New Orleans Pelicans merchandise was expected to be available at the team’s store in the New Orleans Arena Thursday. Officials said any marketing or advertisement for the 2013-2014 season will carry the new logo and name. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Pelicans, Tom Benson 

The Bobcats aren’t commenting on the situation in New Orleans, since the name change won’t become official until a Thursday afternoon news conference. However, an NBA source confirmed to the Observer Tuesday night that Hornets owner Tom Benson has been given permission to switch the nickname to the Pelicans, an iconic bird in the state of Louisiana. Charlotte Observer

New Orleans Pelicans, Tom Benson 

We can assume this whole New Orleans Pelicans concept stems from the fact that new Hornets owner Tom Benson owns the rights to the nickname Pelicans and thus might have something to gain financially from the switch. The nicest thing you can say about the whole plan is that the Hornets, according to league sources, have continued to beg the Utah Jazz to relinquish the nickname they kept when the New Orleans Jazz relocated to Salt Lake City in 1979. ESPN.com

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, Tom Benson, New Orleans Pelicans 

Steve Kyler: There is no doubt that Ownership wants the team to be named the Pelicans... NBA has yet to approve it. Needs Board of Governors buy in. Twitter @stevekylerNBA

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, Tom Benson 

New Orleans Hornets spokesman Greg Bensel denied a Yahoo! Sports report that owner Tom Benson plans to change the nickname of his NBA franchise from the Hornets to Pelicans. "We’re not confirming that is the name,’’ Bensel said. "This is a process that’s ongoing and still in discussions. And it will be eventually decided by the NBA.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson, Greg Bensel 

"I won't say when it will happen, but of course I would support a change,'' Stern said. "That's a small additional thing.'' When Stern was asked if it could happen as early as next season, he jokingly said, "Knowing Tom he'd probably wrestle me to the ground tomorrow but I'm not going to give in that soon.'' New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, Tom Benson 

Steve Kyler: Tom Benson owned a minor league baseball team called the Pelicans, so the copyright/trademark issues get easier with that name. Twitter @stevekylerNBA

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

The neworleanspelicans.com domain was registered by a person in (go figure) Louisiana four years ago. Sulia

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

The New Orleans Hornets are expected to change their nickname to the Pelicans as early as the 2013-14 season, numerous sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Hornets planned to change their nickname since Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints, purchased the team on April 14. Benson also owns the rights to the nickname Pelicans. Yahoo! Sports

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson, New Orleans Pelicans 

Attendance has declined 10 percent from a year ago, from 15,109 to 13,695. The figure is the third lowest in the NBA and the lowest in the club's nine seasons in New Orleans. This isn't how it's supposed to work in Year 2 of a rebuilding campaign, especially after you land the No. 1 player in the draft and secure popular local ownership. The Thunder went to the playoffs in Year 3 of the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook era. The Spurs won it all in Year 3 of Greg Popovich's tenure. The Hornets, meanwhile, are spinning their wheels and spinning rhetoric about the promising future. Eric Gordon has missed 72 of 81 games and has been banished to the West Coast to rehab his mysterious knee injury. The imbroglio has alienated fans and derailed momentum. The entire organization has been held hostage by the situation. It's the E! False Hollywood Story. No one can provide a straight answer. And with each passing day it makes the Chris Paul trade looks worse and worse. It might one day rank alongside the Gary Cuozzo and Ricky Williams deals in infamous New Orleans trade history. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

Hornets head coach Monty Williams talks about the scuffle between the Hornets and Bobcats at mid-court right in front of Saints / Hornets owner Tom Benson and his wife Gayle and Saints GM Mickey Loomis. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Tom Benson 

Q Would you consider switching the nickname should New Orleans owner Tom Benson follow through on plans to give up the name “Hornets?’’ Michael Jordan: “It’s definitely an interest down the road. But right now it’s still the New Orleans Hornets. We’re really not at liberty to discuss something owned by someone else. We would definitely entertain the opportunity. That’s as much as we can say right now. We’ve heard the community ask the question, and we would listen.’’ Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, Michael Jordan, Tom Benson 

He said the franchise is open to a nickname switch should New Orleans Hornets owner Tom Benson follow through on changing that team’s name. Some fans want the Hornets name and logo back in Charlotte. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, Michael Jordan, Tom Benson