With the 2016-17 NBA season set to tip off Oct. 25, the league's uniforms are going to be featuring a whole lot of nothing -- or at least a whole lot of zeroes.
That's because three NBA teams currently have a No. 0 and a No. 00 on their rosters (yes, that's legal in the NBA). One of those teams, the Nuggets, has had the zero and double-zero situation since last season, when Emmanuel Mudiay (0) played alongside Darrell Arthur (00). Thanks to some offseason player moves, the distinction is now shared by the Cavaliers, who have Kevin Love (0) and Chris Andersen (00), and the Pacers, who have C.J. Miles (0) and Aaron Brooks (00). That appears to set the high-water mark for the most teams featuring this uni-numerical quirk at the same time. So the season hasn't even started yet and we've already set a uni-related record -- not bad.
Three NBA teams - Cavs, Pacers, Nuggets - currently have a No. 0 and No. 00 on the roster. Yes, it's legal. (Nuggets also had it last year). pic.twitter.com/rure7CRAMb
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 12, 2016
Of course, the NBA uni-verse features lots of other developments this season. Here's our annual team-by-team look at what you can expect to see on the court this season, broken down by division.
Atlantic Division
• Celtics: No announced changes or news.
• The Knicks are marking their 70th anniversary with a jersey patch. Here's how it looks on the home and road jerseys:
70th-anniversary patch this season for the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/9pjZ6kegLd
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 11, 2016
#70 pic.twitter.com/LlWC4I6q9I
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) October 4, 2016
The Knicks will also be wearing 1946 throwbacks for selected games. They introduced the design with this excellent video clip, which other teams could definitely learn from:
Here's your exclusive look at our Hardwood Classic jerseys this year! 42 days until the opener! #NYK70 pic.twitter.com/W7B4zwP5zB
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) September 14, 2016
• The Nets have a new alternate uniform inspired by the team's old Dr. J-era uniforms. It'll make its on-court debut for the team's home opener on Oct. 28 against the Pacers (additional info, photos and an alternate jersey schedule are all here):
The #Brooklyn Remix Uniform: https://t.co/DkRZuEsMP6 pic.twitter.com/aXJ88BljCK
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) September 14, 2016
• The Raptors have two new uniforms this season -- a very nice Toronto Huskies throwback and a Chinese New Year alternate (additional info on both designs here):
Raptors wearing Toronto Huskies and Lunar New Year alternates this year. Game dates here: https://t.co/2LfSwoAyrK pic.twitter.com/tiSEpXtcYX
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 26, 2016
• The 76ers will mark the 50th anniversary of their 1966-67 championship team with a throwback uniform, which will be worn for six Saturday home games and will be paired with an alternate court design:
FIRST LOOK: 76ers' new throwback, honoring 50th anniversary of 1966-67 championship team. pic.twitter.com/9Qmtf8r9hI
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) September 15, 2016
Courtesy of the 76ers, a rendering of the court design for games in the tribute series for the 1966-67 team: pic.twitter.com/pILgwsLBCW
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@jtannenwald) September 15, 2016
Although you can't see it in that court mock-up, the center-court design will feature the signatures of all Sixers season-ticket subscribers, which according to the team will be "the first time in NBA history that fan signatures will appear within the playing surface of an NBA court."
In a nice additional touch, the 1966-67 team will be honored on this season's tickets:
76ers honoring 1966-67 championship team on ticket-stub design this season. pic.twitter.com/KoYWWoi8Zq
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 11, 2016
And speaking of tickets, the Sixers were the first NBA team to ink a uniform-advertising deal for next season, selling space on their jersey to StubHub:
The 76ers officially became the first NBA team to sign a deal for Jersey ads with a $5 Million deal with Stubhub SMH pic.twitter.com/x2UfTD6wKb
— Basketball Forever (@Bballforeverfb) May 16, 2016
Central Division
• Bucks: No announced changes or news.
• Bulls: No announced changes or news.
• The Cavaliers won their first title, and their jerseys are now carrying the little gold rear-collar tab that all past NBA champions wear. They'll also be raising their first championship banner, which will include the names of last year's season-ticket subscribers:
A beautiful new addition to our jerseys... 🏆#CavsMediaDay pic.twitter.com/qT4JaMvOpc
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) September 26, 2016
Here it is, @cavs fans. The 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers Championship banner! Next stop: the rafters at @TheQArena! pic.twitter.com/s1N6cu0tJY
— Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) October 16, 2016
The names of all the Cavs season ticket holders from last year will be put on white cloth and sewn into banner that will go to the rafters pic.twitter.com/7RYdSTkOFA
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 17, 2016
The Cavs had also planned to roll out a new court design, but fan feedback was negative, so team owner Dan Gilbert recently announced that they'll stick with the old design for the season opener and come out with a revised version soon.
And although it hasn't been announced yet, all signs point to the Cavs wearing orange World B. Free-era throwbacks at some point this season.
• The Pacers are celebrating their 50th season with a variety of initiatives, beginning with a commemorative logo that will be worn as a jersey patch and will also appear on the court:
Pacers wearing 50th-season patch this year. pic.twitter.com/8ZfD6L60T0
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 12, 2016
Check out our 50th Season logo that will be on the court throughout the #Pacers50 season. pic.twitter.com/4bfsxB8x4G
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) September 26, 2016
In addition, the Pacers will play a series of "Decade Games" -- once per month, with each honoring one of the team's previous decades -- featuring era-specific bobblehead giveaways and entertainment. They'll also wear their Hickory throwbacks, inspired by the movie Hoosiers, for six additional games. Further info on both of those promotions, including the specific game dates, is available here.
• The Pistons have made a slight change to their court design:
Slight floor-design adjustment for the Pistons this season. Old version on top, new on bottom (h/t @MikeChamernik). pic.twitter.com/h0S6gBVV3X
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 7, 2016
The Pistons also appear to have a new secondary logo. Oddly, the team has denied the logo's existence, but it keeps showing up on merchandise and is even on that new court design. Weird.
JUST IN: Here's @iAmSJ w/ the new Pistons alternate ball logo on the new hoodie. Still not listed as an "official" logo. (h/t @Jpcveinti2) pic.twitter.com/WSOBcVfP8M
— Conrad Burry (@conradburry) October 20, 2016
Southeast Division
• The Hawks' wacky uniform set will look even wackier this season, because they're adding a racing stripe throwback from the Pete Maravich era. It will make its on-court debut on Jan. 13 and will also be worn on Feb. 24, March 6, and April 6.
These jerseys are absolute 🔥, and you need one.
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 18, 2016
Preorder yours here: https://t.co/yy29R13emo pic.twitter.com/Y8u5se8OvT
• Several sources have indicated the Heat will have a new alternate uniform this season. Although nothing has been released yet, the video game NBA 2K17 may have provided a hint of how the design will look:
@UniWatch this picture from NBA 2k looks like it's the new Miami pride jersey (White tie ?) pic.twitter.com/0NmiuYWxwP
— gabriel choueke (@chooky13) October 10, 2016
• The Hornets' arena has a new name -- the Spectrum Center -- and also has a new high-definition scoreboard (additional info here):
.@hornets' new HD scoreboard is BIGGER & BETTER. (Also, about that honeycomb-less court...) https://t.co/JjcMb9SUbv pic.twitter.com/FXMDWRFSBz
— Théoden Janes (@theodenjanes) September 9, 2016
• The Magic are adding a fairly minimalist alternate jersey to their wardrobe (additional info here):
The #Magic have announced a new "Stars" uniform for this season. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/4Ydk4U2sSi
— Orlando Magic Radio (@Magic_Radio) August 9, 2016
In addition, the Magic will raise a No. 49 banner as part of their Opening Night festivities on Oct. 26, in memory of the 49 victims of last summer's Pulse nightclub shootings. They've also created a rainbow-patterned pride logo for the occasion:
We will be dedicating our Opening Night to those who lost their lives & the lives that have been forever changed from the tragedy at Pulse. pic.twitter.com/am6NTZPU8s
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) October 11, 2016
• The Wizards have a new alternate uniform with a stars-and-stripes design motif. The uniform will make its on-court debut for the Nov. 11 game -- Veterans Day -- against the Cavaliers.
Wizards have new stars/stripes alternate this season. On-court debut on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) vs. Cavs. More: https://t.co/G7LmoqOVsG pic.twitter.com/CQwixuIlW3
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 11, 2016
Northwest Division
• The Jazz have a new uniform set this season. The four new designs include an unusual sleeved alternate that's bound to be controversial (many fans have already dubbed it "the soccer jersey"). There's lots of additional info on this excellent interactive page (kudos to whoever designed that presentation), and here's a full Uni Watch assessment.
New uniform set for the Jazz this season. Additional info: https://t.co/WPACNMvfrn pic.twitter.com/ECWMQCUbOx
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 12, 2016
The Jazz also have a new court design this season (additional photos here):
The new court is complete! 👀 What memories will be made on this beauty? #WeAreUtahJazz pic.twitter.com/Jypwf4OiAt
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) September 2, 2016
• The Nuggets will retire Dikembe Mutombo's No. 55 as part of the festivities for their home opener against the Trail Blazers on Oct. 29, and they'll wear rainbow-striped throwbacks for the occasion.
10.29.16 pic.twitter.com/Q24Vn9pb3O
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) September 26, 2016
@UniWatch @PhilHecken 1st look at the throwbacks that'll be worn for the home opener/Mutombo's jersey retirement 10/29 via @nuggets Snapchat pic.twitter.com/pG6GA5TU2W
— &rew (@so_it_gohs) October 13, 2016
• Thunder: No announced changes or news.
• Timberwolves: No announced changes or news.
• Nothing new this year for the Trail Blazers, but team president Chris McGowan recently said the club will have new uniforms and a new logo next season.
Pacific Division
• No announced changes for the Clippers, but it's worth noting they seem to be referring to their location as L.A., not Los Angeles. A subtle way of distinguishing themselves from the Lakers, perhaps.
• Major upgrade for the Kings, whose new uniforms are a serious improvement over their previous set. There's a lot of additional info on this interactive page, and you can also check out this photo gallery and this Uni Watch assessment of the new threads.
New uniform set for the Kings this year. More info: https://t.co/hKADnn3T89 pic.twitter.com/Mbawdd0Hks
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 12, 2016
The new uniform set is being paired with a new logo, which is actually an updated version of the team's old "crowned ball" logo, the original version of which dates to the franchise's previous incarnation as the Cincinnati Royals.
Evolution of a logo over 45 years: Cincinnati Royals → KC/Omaha Kings → Kansas City Kings → Sacramento Kings pic.twitter.com/czaqoHRrx5
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) June 21, 2016
That old Royals logo was designed by a guy named Robert Grove. Here's an exclusive Uni Watch interview with him, and a good article on how the new logo set was developed.
The Kings also have a new court design (here's some additional info and photos of the floor being installed):
Also: Fans of cool graphics will enjoy the concourse in the Kings' new arena, which features lots of excellent vintage neon signage from the Sacramento area:Kings Unveil New Court Design » https://t.co/AgehiUS1Bj pic.twitter.com/Ul6LJ0WR9J
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) August 24, 2016
Also-also: In what appears to be an NBA first, the Kings have created Twitter and Instagram accounts specifically to showcase their players' sneakers. The accounts, which is called Kings Kicks, feature footwear worn by current and former Kings stars (further info here):Sacramento Kings' new arena has lots of vintage neon signage. pic.twitter.com/oMQtJ3FKL2
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 11, 2016
Finally, as you may have heard, the Kings will be wearing a Blue Diamond Almonds advertising patch next season (additional info here):Kings Begin Exclusive @SacKingsKicks Accounts » https://t.co/6KFk2kMCy7 pic.twitter.com/jzc7J6Uf23
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 19, 2016
Kings, @BlueDiamond Partner to Showcase California Growers and Inspire Health and Wellness » https://t.co/IFA66qqRhZ pic.twitter.com/DQeRboXDgh
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 10, 2016
• Although it hasn't been officially announced yet, multiple sources indicate the Lakers to be wearing Magic Johnson-era throwbacks at some point this season.
It's also worth noting that Metta World Peace wanted to change his uniform number to No. 60, to honor Kobe Bryant's 60-point NBA finale from last season. But the deadline for new numbers had already passed, so he's stuck with No. 37, at least for now.
• The Suns have a new court design, featuring a revival of the old purple border (additional info here):
The purple border is back! Check out the team's court design for the 2016-17 season.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) September 6, 2016
👀 » https://t.co/cVtlFPCeTg pic.twitter.com/o8mcLSTSOG
• Two patches this season for the Warriors -- a 70th-season logo (dating to the franchise's 1946 inception in Philadelphia) and a "42" memorial band for the late Nate Thurmond.
Two patches for the Warriors this year: 70th-season logo and memorial "42" band for Nate Thurmond. pic.twitter.com/Df1XNIohOt
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 11, 2016
Golden State will also wear early-'90s "Run TMC"-era throwbacks for six Sunday home games (additional info and throwback dates here):
Golden State's "Run TMC"-inspired throwbacks will be worn on Oct. 30 and for select Sunday home games. pic.twitter.com/n07PVaTGhN
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 19, 2016
Southwest Division
• The Grizzlies have partnered with the National Civil Rights Museum, which is based in Memphis, to create a thoughtfully designed alternate uniform honoring Martin Luther King. It will debut on Jan. 15, when the Grizzlies play the Bulls, and will then be worn for various games during Black History Month in February. Too bad about the sleeves, but every other aspect of this one is a winner. Nicely done (additional info and photos here).
Memphis Grizzlies MLK Pride Uniform pic.twitter.com/3hDYbWjJhI
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 15, 2016
• Mavericks: No announced changes or news.
• The Pelicans are hosting this season's NBA All-Star Game. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Charlotte (it was moved due to North Carolina's law that limits anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people), which may explain why the Pelicans' patch seems like an underwhelming rush job:
With this season's NBA All-Star game slated to take place in New Orleans, the Pelicans will be wearing this patch. pic.twitter.com/c7T0F1RGjD
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 11, 2016
The Rockets are celebrating their 50th season with a jersey patch:
The Rockets also have a new court design:We will be wearing a special 50 years of Rockets basketball patch on our jerseys this year, celebrating our Golden Anniversary! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/fpqSzQWhrQ
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) September 22, 2016
New Rockets court design for next season is official. Major step up. 17 of 30 teams have changed courts since 13-14. pic.twitter.com/DXFvNE1QuT
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) September 19, 2016
Also: In September of 2015, the Rockets took the unusual step of unveiling three alternate uniforms and announcing that one of them wouldn't be worn until the 2016-17 season. A year later, it's finally time for that uniform -- a straightforward black design -- to join the team's wardrobe.
Sam @dekker is wearing the Space City black alternate jersey. The Rockets will be debuting this in 2016-17. pic.twitter.com/pDQkfCXY8B
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) September 16, 2015
And in one last development, the Rockets will retire Yao Ming's No. 11 on Feb. 2.
Spurs: No announced changes or news.
Additional Notes
• Expect to see lots of striped socks on the court this season.
New: NBA on-court stripe player socks for this upcoming season from @stancehoops pic.twitter.com/naZFOubiU0
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 20, 2016
Additional sock designs will be released soon, probably next week. A spokesman for Stance, the league's sock provider, said eight teams will have new uniform-specific sock designs (the Knicks, Lakers, Kings, Wizards, Bucks, Magic, Mavericks, and Warriors), plus there will be new sock designs for throwbacks, alternate uniforms, military appreciation, Black History Month, and more.
• This year's Christmas uniforms haven't officially been released yet, but the design leaked back in June. They've very similar to last year's designs, which were generally well received.
This year's NBA Christmas uniforms are very similar to last season's. Here are the 10 teams that will be playing on Dec. 25. pic.twitter.com/b9hoofw0p0
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 12, 2016
• The Celtics and Bulls are both scheduled to play on March 17, which means their St. Patrick's Day uniforms will be making their annual appearance:
Not officially announced yet, but expect to see the Celtics and Bulls wearing special unis for St. Patrick's Day this season. pic.twitter.com/3ThGNc17Qw
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 12, 2016
• We can also expect to see the usual assortment of Spanish-language jerseys as part of the league's Noche Latina program.
• The 2017 NBA All-Star Game will be played on Feb. 19. It was originally slated to take place in Charlotte, but the league moved it to New Orleans due to North Carolina's law that limits anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. The game's original logo was scrapped, and a new one, with a New Orleans theme, has been issued in its place. No word yet on the uniforms.
The 2017 #NBAAllStar logo for New Orleans features a Crescent City-inspired design! pic.twitter.com/cYwp78p85E
— 2017 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) September 8, 2016
• All NBA arenas have been equipped with new shot clocks and timing systems (additional info here):
Details on NBA & @TISSOT unveiling new shot clock & integrated timing system tonight https://t.co/sLfC9SbFyT
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 7, 2016
That's it. Did we miss anything? If so, you know what to do.
For better or worse, the league will likely look very different next season. Nike will be taking over for Adidas as the league's uniform outfitter, and teams will be permitted to wear corporate advertising patches for the first time. All of which should make for a lively rundown of information when we reconvene here for the 2017-18 season preview.
Paul Lukas agrees that Utah's new sleeved alternate looks soccer-ish, but he really likes it anyway. If you like this column, you'll probably like his Uni Watch Blog, plus you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Want to learn about his Uni Watch Membership Program, be added to his mailing list so you'll always know when a new column has been posted or just ask him a question? Contact him here.