Nets History Timeline: From 1967 to Today

Roll over the decades listed below to check out year-by-year highlights from Nets history.

• October 23, 1967: New Jersey Americans play first game and lose 110-107 to the Pittsburgh Pipers at the Teaneck Armory
• Team finishes tied with Kentucky Colonels for final playoff spot but forfeits one-game playoff as Teaneck Armory is unavailable for game and court at new site, Long Island’s Commack Arena, is unplayable

• July 15, 1968: Team announces name change to New York Nets and move to Commack Arena in Long Island
• Bobby Lloyd sets ABA record by making 49 consecutive free throws over a 13-game span

• Roy Boe purchases team from original owner Arthur Brown and moves Nets to Island Garden arena in Hempstead
• St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca agrees to coach Nets but must wait one year for his St. John’s contract to conclude, so York Larese coaches Nets for one season
• Nets play first ABA playoff games, losing seven-game series to Kentucky Colonels

• September 1, 1970: Nets acquire Rick Barry from the Virginia Squires
• Lou Carnesecca takes over as head coach
• Barry averages 29.4 points and is named to All-ABA first team
• Bill Melchionni leads ABA with 8.3 assists per game
• Nets lose in first round of playoffs to Virginia Squires, 4-2

• February 11, 1972: Nets play first game at Nassau Coliseum and defeat Pittsburgh Condors, 129-121 as Rick Barry scores 45 points
• April 10, 1972: Nets clinch first ABA playoff series win, defeating Kentucky Colonels 101-96 in Game 6
• May 4, 1972: Nets defeat Virginia Squires 94-88 to advance to first ABA championship series
• May 20, 1972: Nets lose 108-105 as Indiana Pacers win ABA championship
• Rick Barry and Bill Melchionni named to All-ABA first team
• John Roche named to ABA All-Rookie team
• Barry averages Nets franchise record 31.5 points per game
• Melchionni leads ABA with 8.4 assists per game

• July 1, 1972: Rick Barry leaves Nets, signing with Golden State Warriors to return to NBA
• Brian Taylor named ABA Rookie of the Year
• Lou Carnesecca leaves Nets to return as St. John’s coach after season

• April 23, 1973: Nets hire Kevin Loughery as head coach
• August 1, 1973: Nets acquire Julius Erving from Virginia Squires
• Nov. 11-Dec 12, 1973: Nets win 19 of 22 games
• March 10-27, 1974: Nets win 10 of last 11 games to clinch first Eastern Division title
• April 17, 1974: Erving scores 30 points and hits buzzer-beater to give Nets 89-87 win and 3-0 series lead over Kentucky Colonels
• April 30, 1974: Erving scores 47 points as Nets open ABA championship series with 89-85 win
• May 10, 1974: Nets defeat Utah Stars 111-100 to win first ABA championship
• Nets win 12 of 14 playoff games
• Erving named ABA Most Valuable Player, playoffs MVP and named to All-ABA first team
• Erving leads ABA with 27.4 points per game and averages 10.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.4 blocks and 2.3 steals
• John Williamson and Larry Kenon named to ABA All-Rookie team

• Feb. 14, 1975: Julius Erving scores 63 points in four-overtime, 176-166 loss to San Diego, the highest scoring game in ABA history
• Nets set franchise record for wins but lose to Spirits of St. Louis in first round of playoffs
• Erving shares ABA MVP award with Indiana’s George McGinnis and named to All-ABA first team
• Brian Taylor named to All-ABA second team and All-Defensive team

• Jan. 27, 1976: At final ABA All-Star Game, Julius Erving wins first-ever Slam Dunk Content
• April 24, 1976: Nets defeat San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 to advance to ABA championship series
• May 1, 1976: Erving scores 45 points and hits game-winner for 120-118 win against Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of ABA championship series
• May 4, 1976: Erving scores 48 points in 127-121 Game 2 loss to Denver
• May 13, 1976: In the final ABA game, Nets clinch second title with 112-106 win, coming back from 22-point second-half deficit behind John Williamson, who scores 16 points in the fourth quarter, 22 in the second half, and 28 overall while Erving has 31 points and 19 rebounds
• Erving named ABA MVP for third time, playoffs MVP, and named to All-ABA first team and All-Defensive team
• Erving leads ABA with 29.3 points per game
• Erving averages 34.7 points in 13 playoff games and 37.7 points in championship series
• Brian Taylor named to ABA All-Defensive team

• June 17, 1976: Merger between ABA and NBA becomes official and Nets join NBA along with Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets
• September 10, 1976: Nets acquire All-NBA First Team guard Tiny Archibald for Brian Taylor, Jim Eakins and 1977 and 1978 first round picks
• October 20, 1976: Julius Erving traded to Philadelphia 76ers
• October 22, 1976: Nets play first NBA game and defeat Golden State Warriors 104-103
• February 1, 1977: Nets trade John Williamson to Indiana Pacers
• April 1, 1977: Nets play final game at Nassau Coliseum and lose 89-88 to Indiana Pacers

• June 10, 1977: With their first NBA Draft selection, acquired from Indiana, the Nets take future Hall of Famer Bernard King seventh overall
• Oct. 21, 1977: Nets play first game at Rutgers Athletic Center after move to New Jersey and lose to New Orleans Jazz 111-103
• Feb. 24, 1978: Kevin Porter sets an NBA record with 29 assists against the Houston Rockets and record stands for 12 seasons
• Porter, acquired from Detroit early in the season, leads NBA with 10.2 assists per game and sets Nets single-season franchise record with 10.8 assists per game
• King is named to NBA All-Rookie team after averaging 24.2 points per game

• April 11, 1979: Nets play first NBA playoff game, lose 122-114 to Philadelphia and lose best-of-three series 2-0

• Oct. 2, 1979: Nets trade Bernard King to Utah

• June 10, 1980: Nets select North Carolina’s Mike O’Koren and Duke’s Mike Gminski back-to-back with sixth and seventh picks
• December 22, 1980: Kevin Loughery, still the franchise leader in coaching wins (297) and longevity, resigns during his eighth season

• March 18, 1981: Larry Brown hired as head coach for the 1981-82 season
• June 8, 1981: Nets acquire All-NBA Second Team guard Otis Birdsong
• June 9, 1981: Nets select Maryland teammates Buck Williams (3rd) and Albert King (10th) in the first round of NBA Draft
• Oct. 30, 1981: Nets play first game in new Brendan Byrne Arena after four seasons at Rutgers; lose to Knicks 103-99
• Jan 31, 1982: Nets host NBA All-Star Game and Buck Williams plays
• Nets post 20-win improvement to finish above .500 in NBA for first time and make second NBA playoff appearance, losing to Washington in first round 2-0
• Williams named NBA Rookie of the Year

• Aug. 27, 1982: Nets acquire center Darryl Dawkins for 1983 first round pick
• Feb. 6, 1983: Nets acquire guard Michael Ray Richardson for rookie first round pick Sleepy Floyd
• Feb. 13, 1983: Buck Williams plays in NBA All-Star Game
• April 8, 1983: Larry Brown resigns with eight games left in season to become head coach at Kansas and Bill Blair coaches remainder of the season as Nets return to playoffs but lose in first round to New York
• 49 wins are franchise NBA record, now second in team history
• Richardson leads NBA with 2.8 steals per game
• Williams named to All-NBA Second Team

• Jan. 29, 1984: Otis Birdsong plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Nets make third straight playoff appearance and earn first NBA playoff series win, defeating defending world champion Philadelphia in five games
• Michael Ray Richardson averages 20.6 points, 8.6 assists and 4.2 steals in series against Philadelphia, including 24 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds and 6 steals in 47 minutes in clinching Game 5 101-98 win

• Feb. 10, 1985: Micheal Ray Richardson plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Richardson averages 21.0 points, 8.2 assists, 5.6 rebounds per game
• Richardson leads NBA with 3.0 steals per game

• Feb 9, 1986: Buck Williams plays in third NBA All-Star Game
• Nets make fifth consecutive playoff appearance

• June 17, 1986: Nets select Syracuse star, Brooklyn native and NYC HS legend Pearl Washington with the 13th overall pick in the first round

• Feb. 19, 1998: Hall of Fame player Willis Reed hired as head coach
• Buck Williams named to NBA All-Defensive Second Team

• June 24, 1989: Buck Williams traded to Portland Trail Blazers for Sam Bowie and a 1989 first-round pick used to select Mookie Blaylock

• Aug. 21, 1989: Bill Fitch hired as head coach, Willis Reed becomes Senior VP of Basketball Operations

• June 27, 1990: Nets select Syracuse forward Derrick Coleman with the first pick in NBA Draft
• Jan. 23, 1991: Nets acquire Drazen Petrovic from Portland
• Coleman named Rookie of the Year after averaging 18.4 points and 10.3 rebounds

• June 26, 1991: Nets select Queens native Kenny Anderson with the second overall pick out of Georgia Tech
• Nets improve by 14 wins and make first playoff appearance since 1986
• Drazen Petrovic second in NBA in 3-point shooting (44.4)

• May 28, 1992: Future Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion coach Chuck Daly hired as head coach
• Nets lose to Cleveland in first round of playoffs for second straight year
• Drazen Petrovic named to All-NBA Third Team after averaging 22.3 points and finishing third in the NBA in 3-point shooting (44.9)
• Derrick Coleman named to All-NBA Third Team after averaging career high 20.7 points and 11.2 rebounds per game
• June 7, 1993: Drazen Petrovic is killed in an automobile accident in Germany

• Feb. 13, 1994: Kenny Anderson and Derrick Coleman become first Nets elected to start in the NBA All-Star Game
• May 26, 1994: Chuck Daly resigns as head coach
• Coleman repeats as All-NBA Third Team selection after averaging 20.2 points and 11.3 rebounds
• Nets make third straight playoff appearance but lose to New York in first round

• June 28, 1994: Butch Beard hired as head coach

• Nov. 30, 1995: Derrick Coleman traded to Philadelphia
• Jan. 19, 1996: Kenny Anderson traded to Charlotte

• June 6, 1996: John Calipari named Head Coach and Executive VP of Basketball Operations

• June 27, 1997: Nets acquire No. 2 overall pick Keith Van Horn from Philadelphia in exchange for No. 7 overall pick Tim Thomas as part of eight-player trade
• Feb. 6, 1998: Van Horn plays in Rookies Game at NBA All-Star Weekend
• Feb. 8, 1998: Jayson Williams plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Van Horn named to NBA All-Rookie First Team
• Nets make first playoff appearance since 1994 but lose to defending and eventual threepeat champion Chicago

• March 11, 1999: Stephon Marbury acquired from Minnesota as part of three-team, nine-player trade
• March 15, 1999: John Calipari fired as Head Coach and Executive VP of Basketball Operations after 3-17 start to strike-shortened season

• Stephon Marbury named to All-NBA Third Team after averaging 22.2 points and 8.4 assists

• June 2, 2000: Rod Thorn hired as general manager
• June 27, 2000: Byron Scott hired as head coach
• June 28, 2000: Nets select Kenyon Martin with first pick in NBA Draft
• Feb. 10, 2001: Martin plays in Rookie Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend
• Feb. 11, 2001: Stephon Marbury plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Martin named to NBA All-Rookie First Team

• June 27, 2001: No. 13 pick Richard Jefferson acquired in draft night trade for No. 7 pick Eddie Griffin with Nets also receiving No. 18 Jason Collins and No. 23 Brandon Armstrong
• July 18, 2001: Nets acquire All-NBA First Team guard Jason Kidd from Phoenix for Stephon Marbury as part of five-player trade
• Feb. 9, 2002: Kenyon Martin plays for Sophomore team in Rookie Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend
• Feb. 10, 2002: Kidd plays in NBA All-Star Game
• April 26, 2002: Kerry Kittles 3-pointer lifts Nets to 85-84 Game 3 win in first round of playoffs against Indiana
• May 2, 2002: Nets beat Indiana 120-109 in double overtime of Game 5 to clinch first-round playoff series as Kidd scores 31 points with 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals
• May 15, 2002: Nets defeat Charlotte in Game 5 103-95 to advance to Eastern Conference finals for first time
• May 31, 2002: Nets defeat Boston Celtics in Game 6 96-88 to advance to NBA Finals for first time
• June 12, 2002: Los Angeles Lakers complete NBA Finals sweep of Nets
• Nets double win total of previous season and set franchise record for wins
• Nets win Atlantic Division for first NBA division title
• Kidd named to All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team
• Jefferson named to NBA All-Rookie Second Team
• Rod Thorn named NBA Executive of the Year

• Aug. 2, 2002: Nets acquire 2001-02 All-NBA Third Team center and All-Defensive Second Team selection Dikembe Mutombo from Philadelphia for Todd MacCulloch and Keith Van Horn
• Feb. 9, 2003: Jason Kidd plays in NBA All-Star Game
• May 24, 2003: Nets win 10th straight playoff game, defeating Detroit 102-82 to clinch return to NBA Finals
• June 15, 2003: San Antonio defeats Nets 88-77 to win Game 6 and clinch NBA championship
• Nets win second straight Atlantic Division title
• Kidd named to All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team
• Kidd leads NBA with 8.9 assists per game

• Jan. 26, 2004: Byron Scott fired as head coach after 22-20 start and replaced by assistant coach Lawrence Frank
• Jan. 25-Feb. 24, 2004: Nets win 14 straight games, including 13 straight under new head coach Lawrence Frank
• Feb. 15, 2004: Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin play in NBA All-Star Game
• April 25, 2004: Nets beat New York 100-94 to clinch four-game sweep of first-round playoff series
• May 14, 2004: Nets beat Detroit 127-120 in three overtimes to take 3-2 lead in conference semifinal playoff series as Richard Jefferson scores 31 points with 11 rebounds
• May 20, 2004: Detroit beats Nets 90-66 in Game 7 to end bid for third straight NBA Finals appearance
• Nets win third straight Atlantic Division title
• Kidd named to All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive Second Team
• Kidd leads NBA with 9.2 assists
• Jefferson selected for 2004 United States Olympic Basketball team

• July 15, 2004: Kenyon Martin traded to Denver for three first round picks
• Dec. 17, 2004: Vince Carter acquired from Toronto for three players and two first round picks
• Feb. 5, 2005: Jason Kidd records 14 assists against Detroit to become Nets all-time franchise leader
• Feb. 20, 2005: Vince Carter plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Nets make fourth consecutive playoff appearance
• Kidd named to NBA All-Defensive Second Team

• Feb. 19, 2006: Vince Carter plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Nets win Atlantic Division for fourth time in five seasons
• Jason Kidd named to NBA All-Defensive First Team

• Feb. 16, 2017: Marcus Williams plays for rookie team for T-Mobile Rookie-Sophomore Challenge at All-Star Weekend
• Feb. 18, 2017: Jason Kidd and Vince Carter play in NBA All-Star Game
• Nets make sixth consecutive playoff appearance
• Kidd named to NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Kidd averages 14.6 points, 10.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists in 12 playoff games, the only time in NBA history a player has averaged a triple-double for an entire playoffs of at least 10 games

• Feb. 15, 2008: Sean Williams plays for rookie team in the T-Mobile Rookie-Sophomore Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend
• Feb. 17, 2008: Jason Kidd plays in NBA All-Star Game for fifth time as a Net
• Feb. 19, 2008: Kidd traded to Dallas and Devin Harris acquired as part of eight-player trade that also sends two draft picks to Nets
• Richard Jefferson averages career-high 22.6 points in final season with Nets

• June 26, 2008: Richard Jefferson traded to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons
• June 26, 2008: Nets select Brook Lopez with 10th pick in NBA Draft
• Feb. 13, 2009: Brook Lopez plays for rookie team in the T-Mobile Rookie-Sophomore Challenge at All-Star Weekend
• Feb. 15, 2009: Devin Harris plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Lopez named to NBA All-Rookie First Team

• June 25, 2009: Nets trade Vince Carter and 2008 first-round pick Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee
• Dec. 4, 2009: Nets win first game of season after 0-18 start, beating Charlotte 97-91
• April 12, 2010: Nets play final game at IZOD Center, formerly Continental Airlines Arena and Brendan Byrne Arena, after 29 seasons
• Record of 12-70 is worst in franchise history

• June 10, 2010: Avery Johnson hired as head coach
• June 24, 2010: Selecting third overall in the NBA Draft, the Nets take Derrick Favors
• July 12, 2010: Billy King is hired as general manager after team president Rod Thorn steps downs
• Oct. 27, 2010: Nets play first game at Prudential Center in Newark and defeat Detroit 101-98
• Feb. 23, 2011: Nets acquire 2009-10 All-NBA Second Team guard Deron Williams from Utah for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first-round picks

• Feb 26, 2012: Deron Williams plays in NBA All-Star Game
• April 23, 2012: Nets play final game in New Jersey after 35 seasons and final game at IZOD Center after two-season stay in Newark

• July 12, 2012: Nets acquire Joe Johnson from Atlanta for five players and three draft picks
• Nov. 3, 2012: Nets play first game in Brooklyn at Barclays Center and defeat Toronto Raptors 107-100
• December 27, 2012: Avery Johnson fired as head coach and replaced by assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo
• Feb. 17, 2013: Brook Lopez plays in NBA All-Star Game
• Nets make first playoff appearance since 2007, lose in first round to Chicago Bulls

• June 12, 2013: Nets hire Jason Kidd as head coach
• July 12, 2013: Nets acquire Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from Boston as part of nine-player trade that also includes exchanges of six draft picks
• Feb. 16, 2014: Joe Johnson plays in NBA All-Star Game
• May 4, 2014: Nets defeat Toronto 104-103 in Game 7 to clinch first-round series
• May 14, 2014: Miami defeats Nets 96-94 in Game 5 to clinch playoff series

• Feb. 9, 2015: Nets trade Kevin Garnett to Minnesota for Thaddeus Young
• April 15, 2015: Nets defeat Orlando 101-88 to clinch third straight playoff appearance, closing season with nine wins in 13 games
• April 27, 2015: Deron Williams scored 35 points with 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals in 120-115 Game 3 overtime win against Atlanta
• May 1, 2015: Nets eliminated from playoffs with 111-87 Game 5 loss to Atlanta

• Feb. 16, 2016: Nets open HSS Training Center in Brooklyn
• Feb. 17, 2016: Nets hire Sean Marks as general manager
• April 17, 2016: Nets hire Kenny Atkinson as head coach

• July 7, 2016: Nets acquire No. 20 overall pick Caris LeVert from Indiana for Thaddeus Young
• April 10, 2017: In his final game as a Net, Brook Lopez scores 25 points against Boston and passes Buck Williams as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (10,444 points)

• June 22, 2017: Nets select Jarrett Allen with 22nd pick in NBA Draft
• June 22, 2017: Nets trade Brook Lopez and No. 27 draft pick Kyle Kuzma to Los Angeles Lakers for D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov

• Feb. 16, 2019: Joe Harris wins 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend
• Feb. 17, 2019: D’Angelo Russell plays in NBA All-Star Game
• March 19, 2019: Nets become third team in NBA history to overcome deficit of 25 points entering fourth quarter in 123-121 win at Sacramento as Russell scores 27 of his career-high 44 points in fourth quarter
• April 7, 2019: Nets beat Indiana 108-96 to clinch first playoff berth since 2015
• Joe Harris leads NBA in 3-point shooting (47.4)