# List of NBA franchise postseason droughts

This is a list of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise post-season appearance droughts. This list includes the all-time and the active consecutive non-playoffs. Aside from the NBA playoff appearance droughts, this list also includes droughts of series wins, appearances in the NBA Finals and NBA championship wins. The oldest franchise to never win the championship is the Suns (54 seasons), while the Royals/Kings and the Hawks have even longer championship droughts (71 and 64 seasons, respectively). Five franchises have never been to the NBA Finals, tied with the National Hockey League for the highest number among the major North American sports. The oldest such team is the Braves/Clippers franchise (52 seasons); the Kings and the Hawks have appearance droughts that are even longer (71 and 61 seasons, respectively). The longest a franchise has gone without appearing in the playoffs at all is 16 seasons: the Kings franchise from 2006 to 2023.
Of the 20 franchises that have won an NBA championship, 7 have droughts of 41 seasons or more, which is to say that the past 40 championships have been shared among only 13 franchises: the Lakers (9), Bulls (6), Spurs (5), Warriors (4), Pistons (3), Celtics (3), Heat (3), Rockets (2), Mavericks (1), Cavaliers (1), Raptors (1), Bucks (1), and Nuggets (1). By contrast, the other three major North American sports have each had at least 18 franchises become champions over the same period of time.

## Active droughts
### NBA Playoffs appearance droughts

    Appearance droughts updated through May 3, 2024.
    Playoff picture at NBA.com
| ^ | Longest drought in team history |
| † | Tied for longest drought in team history |
| Seasons | Team | Last appearance in NBA playoffs |
| 8 | Charlotte Hornets ^ | 2016 First Round |
| 5 | Detroit Pistons | 2019 First Round |
| 5 | San Antonio Spurs ^ | 2019 First Round |
| 4 | Houston Rockets | 2020 Western Semifinals |
| 3 | Portland Trail Blazers | 2021 First Round |
| 3 | Washington Wizards | 2021 First Round |
| 2 | Utah Jazz | 2022 First Round |
| 2 | Toronto Raptors | 2022 First Round |
| 2 | Chicago Bulls | 2022 First Round |
| 1 | Atlanta Hawks | 2023 First Round |
| 1 | Brooklyn Nets | 2023 First Round |
| 1 | Memphis Grizzlies | 2023 First Round |
| 1 | Sacramento Kings | 2023 First Round |
| 1 | Golden State Warriors | 2023 Western Semifinals |
| 2024 Playoff teams ||||
| 0 | Phoenix Suns | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | New Orleans Pelicans | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | Miami Heat | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | Milwaukee Bucks | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | Los Angeles Clippers | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | Orlando Magic | 2024 First Round |
| 0 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2024 Eastern Semifinals |
| 0 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2024 Western Semifinals |
| 0 | New York Knicks | 2024 Eastern Semifinals |
| 0 | Denver Nuggets | 2024 Western Semifinals |
| 0 | Indiana Pacers | 2024 Eastern finals |
| 0 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 2024 Western finals |
| 0 | Dallas Mavericks | 2024 NBA finalist |
| 0 | Boston Celtics | 2024 NBA finals winners |

### NBA Playoffs series win droughts

    Droughts updated through April 2024.
    Playoff picture at NBA.com
| 0^0 | Longest drought in team history |
| 0♦0 | Most consecutive series losses in team history |
Current Playoff series loss streak :
| Seasons since win | Team | Last series win in NBA Playoffs | Losing streak | Series losses – teams |
| 20 | Charlotte Hornets ^ | 2002 Eastern First Round | 4 ♦ | 2002 New Jersey 2010 Orlando 2014 Miami 2016 Miami |
| 20 | Sacramento Kings | 2004 Western First Round | 4 | 2004 Minnesota 2005 Seattle 2006 San Antonio 2023 Golden State |
| 16 | Detroit Pistons | 2008 Eastern Semifinals | 4 | 2008 Boston 2009 Cleveland 2016 Cleveland 2019 Milwaukee |
| 14 | Orlando Magic | 2010 Eastern Semifinals | 6 | 2010 Boston 2011 Atlanta 2012 Indiana 2019 Toronto 2020 Milwaukee 2024 Cleveland |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 2015 Eastern First Round | 3 | 2015 Cleveland 2017 Boston 2022 Milwaukee |
| 7 | Washington Wizards | 2017 Eastern First Round | 3 | 2017 Boston 2018 Toronto 2021 Philadelphia |
| 7 | San Antonio Spurs | 2017 Western Semifinals | 3 | 2017 Golden State 2018 Golden State 2019 Denver |
| 6 | New Orleans Pelicans | 2018 Western First Round | 3 | 2018 Golden State 2022 Phoenix 2024 Oklahoma City |
| 5 | Portland Trail Blazers | 2019 Western Semifinals | 3 | 2019 Golden State 2020 L. A. Lakers 2021 Denver |
| 4 | Toronto Raptors | 2020 Eastern First Round | 2 | 2020 Boston 2022 Philadelphia |
| 4 | Houston Rockets | 2020 Western First Round | 1 | 2020 L. A. Lakers |
| 3 | Utah Jazz | 2021 Western First Round | 2 | 2021 L. A. Clippers 2022 Dallas |
| 3 | Brooklyn Nets | 2021 Eastern First Round | 3 | 2021 Milwaukee 2022 Boston 2023 Philadelphia |
| 3 | Los Angeles Clippers | 2021 Western Semifinals | 3 | 2021 Phoenix 2023 Phoenix 2024 Dallas |
| 3 | Atlanta Hawks | 2021 Eastern Semifinals | 3 | 2021 Milwaukee 2022 Miami 2023 Boston |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | 2022 Eastern First Round | 3 | 2022 Boston 2023 Miami 2024 Indiana |
| 2 | Memphis Grizzlies | 2022 Western First Round | 2 | 2022 Golden State 2023 Los Angeles |
| 1 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2023 Eastern First Round | 2 | 2023 Boston 2024 New York |
| 1 | Phoenix Suns | 2023 Western First Round | 2 | 2023 Denver 2024 Minnesota |
| 1 | Golden State Warriors | 2023 Western First Round | 1 | 2023 L.A. Lakers |
| 1 | L.A. Lakers | 2023 Western Semifinals | 2 | 2023 Denver 2024 Denver |
| 1 | Miami Heat | 2023 Eastern Conference Finals | 2 | 2023 Denver 2024 Boston |
| z | 30002024 Playoff Series | 0 Winners | 3000 | 3000 |
| 0 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2024 Eastern First Round | 1 | 2024 Boston |
| 0 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2024 Western First Round | 1 | 2024 Dallas |
| 0 | New York Knicks | 2024 Eastern First Round | 1 | 2024 Indiana |
| 0 | Denver Nuggets | 2024 Western First Round | 1 | 2024 Minnesota |
| 0 | Indiana Pacers | 2024 Eastern Semifinals | 1 | 2024 Boston |
| 0 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 2024 Western Semifinals | 1 | 2024 Dallas |
| 0 | Dallas Mavericks | 2024 Western Conference Finals | 1 | 2024 Boston |
| 0 | Boston Celtics | 2024 NBA Finals | 0 | 4-series win streak |
$^a$ Charlotte was also inactive for two years following the 2001–02 season.

### NBA Conference Finals appearance droughts

| ^ | Longest drought in team history |
| Seasons | Team | Last appearance in Conference Finals | Result |
| 45 | Washington Wizards ^ | 1979 | Won vs. San Antonio |
| 36 | Charlotte Hornets ^ | 0Never (enfranchised 1988) | 0Never (enfranchised 1988) |
| 24 | New York Knicks | 2000 | Lost vs. Indiana |
| 23 | Philadelphia 76ers ^ | 2001 | Won vs. Milwaukee |
| 22 | Sacramento Kings | 2002 | Lost vs. L.A. Lakers |
| 22 | New Orleans Pelicans ^ | 0Never (enfranchised 2002) | 0Never (enfranchised 2002) |
| 21 | Brooklyn Nets | 2003 | Won vs. Detroit |
| 17 | Utah Jazz | 2007 | Lost vs. San Antonio |
| 16 | Detroit Pistons | 2008 | Lost vs. Boston |
| 14 | Orlando Magic | 2010 | Lost vs. Boston |
| 13 | Chicago Bulls | 2011 | Lost vs. Miami |
| 11 | Memphis Grizzlies | 2013 | Lost vs. San Antonio |
| 8 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2016 | Lost vs. Golden State |
| 7 | San Antonio Spurs | 2017 | Lost vs. Golden State |
| 6 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2018 | Won vs. Boston |
| 6 | Houston Rockets | 2018 | Lost vs. Golden State |
| 5 | Toronto Raptors | 2019 | Won vs. Milwaukee0 |
| 5 | Portland Trail Blazers | 2019 | Lost vs. Golden State |
| 3 | Phoenix Suns | 2021 | Won vs. L.A. Clippers |
| 3 | Los Angeles Clippers | 2021 | Lost vs. Phoenix |
| 3 | Milwaukee Bucks | 2021 | Won vs. Atlanta |
| 3 | Atlanta Hawks | 2021 | Lost vs. Milwaukee |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | 2022 | Won vs. Dallas |
| 1 | Denver Nuggets | 2023 | Won vs. L.A. Lakers |
| 1 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2023 | Lost vs. Denver |
| 1 | Miami Heat | 2023 | Won vs. Boston |
| .85 | Z2024 Conference Finalists | 2019.5 | zzz |
| 0 | Indiana Pacers | 2024 | Lost vs. Boston |
| 0 | Boston Celtics | 2024 | Won vs. Indiana |
| 0 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 2024 | Lost vs. Dallas |
| 0 | Dallas Mavericks | 2024 | Won vs. Minnesota |

### NBA Finals appearance droughts

| Seasons | Team | Last appearance in NBA Finals | Result |
| 73 | Sacramento Kings | 1951 | Won vs. New York |
| 63 | Atlanta Hawks | 1961 | Lost vs. Boston |
| 54 | Los Angeles Clippers | 0Never (enfranchised 1970) | 0Never (enfranchised 1970) |
| 45 | Washington Wizards | 1979 | Lost vs. Seattle |
| 35 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 0Never (enfranchised 1989) | 0Never (enfranchised 1989) |
| 36 | Charlotte Hornets | 0Never (enfranchised (1988) | 0Never (enfranchised (1988) |
| 32 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1992 | Lost vs. Chicago |
| 29 | Houston Rockets | 1995 | Won vs. Orlando |
| 29 | Memphis Grizzlies | 0Never (enfranchised 1995) | 0Never (enfranchised 1995) |
| 26 | Utah Jazz | 1998 | Lost vs. Chicago |
| 26 | Chicago Bulls | 1998 | Won vs. Utah |
| 25 | New York Knicks | 1999 | Lost vs. San Antonio |
| 24 | Indiana Pacers | 2000 | Lost vs. L. A. Lakers |
| 23 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2001 | Lost vs. L. A. Lakers |
| 22 | New Orleans Pelicans | 0Never (enfranchised 2002) | 0Never (enfranchised 2002) |
| 21 | Brooklyn Nets | 2003 | Lost vs. San Antonio |
| 19 | Detroit Pistons | 2005 | Lost vs. San Antonio |
| 15 | Orlando Magic | 2009 | Lost vs. L. A. Lakers |
| 12 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2012 | Lost vs. Miami |
| 10 | San Antonio Spurs | 2014.52014 | Won vs. Miami |
| 6 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2018 | Lost vs. Golden State |
| 5 | Toronto Raptors | 2019 | Won vs. Golden State |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2020 | Won vs. Miami |
| 3 | Milwaukee Bucks | 2021 | Won vs. Phoenix |
| 3 | Phoenix Suns | 2021 | Lost vs. Milwaukee |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | 2022 | Won vs. Boston |
| 1 | Denver Nuggets | 02023 | Won vs. Miami |
| 1 | Miami Heat | 02023 | Lost vs. Denver |
| 0 | Z2024 Finalists | 2018.5 | zzz |
| 0 | Dallas Mavericks | 2024 | Lost vs. Boston |
| 0 | Boston Celtics | 2024 | Won vs. Dallas |
* $^a$ The Sacramento Kings last appeared in the 1951 NBA Finals as the Rochester Royals. Which pre dates NBA-ABA merger.
* $^b$ The Atlanta Hawks last appeared in the 1961 NBA Finals as the St. Louis Hawks. Which pre dates NBA-ABA merger.
* $^c$ The Washington Wizards last appeared in the 1979 Conference Finals and NBA Finals as the Washington Bullets.
* $^d$ The Brooklyn Nets last appeared in the 2003 Conference Finals and NBA Finals as the New Jersey Nets.

### NBA championship title droughts

| Seasons | Team | Last NBA championship |
| Walter A. Brown Trophy ||||
| 73 | Sacramento Kings | 1951 |
| 66 | Atlanta Hawks | 1958 |
| 56 | Phoenix Suns | 0Never (enfranchised 1968) |
| 54 | Los Angeles Clippers | 0Never (enfranchised 1970) |
| 51 | New York Knicks | 01973 |
| 50 | Utah Jazz | 0Never (enfranchised 1974) |
| Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy ||||
| 48 | Brooklyn Nets | 0Never (joined NBA in 1976) |
| 48 | Indiana Pacers | 0Never (joined NBA in 1976) |
| 47 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1977 |
| 46 | Washington Wizards | 1978 |
| 45 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 1979 |
| 41 | Philadelphia 76ers | 1983 |
| 35 | Orlando Magic | 0Never (enfranchised 1989) |
| 35 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 0Never (enfranchised 1989) |
| 36 | Charlotte Hornets | 0Never (enfranchised 1988) |
| 29 | Houston Rockets | 1995 |
| 29 | Memphis Grizzlies | 0Never (enfranchised 1995) |
| 26 | Chicago Bulls | 1998 |
| 22 | New Orleans Pelicans | 0Never (enfranchised 2002) |
| 20 | Detroit Pistons | 2004 |
| 13 | Dallas Mavericks | 2011 |
| 11 | Miami Heat | 2013 |
| 10 | San Antonio Spurs | 2014 |
| 8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2016 |
| 5 | Toronto Raptors | 2019 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2020 |
| 3 | Milwaukee Bucks | 2021 |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | 2022 |
| 1 | Denver Nuggets | 2023 |
| 0 | Boston Celtics | 02024 |
* $^a$ The Sacramento Kings last won an NBA championship in 1951 as the Rochester Royals.
* $^b$ The Atlanta Hawks last won an NBA championship in 1958 as the St. Louis Hawks.
* $^c$ Pre dates the NBA-ABA merger.
* $^d$ The Washington Wizards last won an NBA championship in 1978 as the Washington Bullets.
* $^e$ The Oklahoma City Thunder last won an NBA championship in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics.

## All-time droughts
### Closest approaches without winning

Updated through the 2024 playoffs.
Last team to leave list – Denver Nuggets 2023 :
| Team | Conference Quarter-Final appearances | Conference Semi-Final appearances | Conference Final appearances | NBA Final appearances | Fewest wins short of NBA Championship |
| Brooklyn Nets | 24 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 02 wins short : 2003 |
| Indiana Pacers | 28 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 02 wins short : 2000 |
| Phoenix Suns | 33 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 02 wins short : 1976, 1993, 2021 |
| Utah Jazz | 31 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 02 wins short : 1997, 1998 |
| Orlando Magic | 17 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 03 wins short : 2009 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 18 | 9 | 1 | | 6 wins short : 2021 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 12 | 2 | 2 | | 06 wins short : 2004 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 13 | 4 | 1 | | 08 wins short : 2013 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 9 | 2 | | | 9 wins short : 2008 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 10 | 4 | | | 9 wins short : 2001 |

### Longest post-season droughts in team history

Updated through the 2023–24 season.
| 0^0 | Denotes active drought |
| Team | Longest streak with no post-season appearances | Seasons |
| Sacramento Kings | 2006–07 through 2021–22 | 16 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 1976–77 through 1990–91 | 15 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 2004–05 through 2016–17 | 13 |
| Golden State Warriors | 1994–95 through 2005–06 | 12 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1990–91 through 1999–2000 | 10 |
| Phoenix Suns | 2010–11 through 2019–20 | 10 |
| Utah Jazz | 1974–75 through 1982–83 | 9 |
| Washington Wizards | 1988–89 through 1995–96 | 8 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 1995–96 through 2002–03 | 8 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1995–96 through 2002–03 | 8 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 1999–2000 through 2006–07 | 8 |
| Charlotte Hornets ^ | 2016–17 through 2023–24 | 8 |
| New York Knicks | 1959–60 through 1965–66 2013–14 through 2019–20 | 7 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 1967–68 through 1973–74 | 7 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1991–92 through 1997–98 | 7 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 1991–92 through 1997–98 | 7 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 1998–99 through 2004–05 | 7 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1970–71 through 1975–76 | 6 |
| Detroit Pistons | 1977–78 through 1982–83 2009–10 through 2014–15 | 6 |
| Boston Celtics | 1995–96 through 2000–01 | 6 |
| Chicago Bulls | 1998–99 through 2003–04 | 6 |
| Orlando Magic | 2012–13 through 2017–18 | 6 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 2013–14 through 2018–19 | 6 |
| Houston Rockets | 1969–70 through 1973–74 | 5 |
| Indiana Pacers | 1981–82 through 1985–86 | 5 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 1986–87 through 1990–91 2007–08 through 2011–12 | 5 |
| Toronto Raptors | 2008–09 through 2012–13 | 5 |
| San Antonio Spurs ^ | 2019–20 through 2023–24 | 5 |
| Miami Heat | 1988–89 through 1990–91 | 3 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 2004–05 through 2006–07 2011–12 through 2013–14 2018–19 through 2020–21 | 3 |

### Longest post-season series win droughts in team history

Updated through the 2023–24 season.
| 0^0 | Denotes active drought |
| Team | Longest streak with no post-season series wins | Seasons |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 1976–77 through 2004–05 | 29 |
| Washington Wizards | 1982–83 through 2003–04 | 22 |
| Charlotte Hornets ^ | 2004–05 through 2023–24 | 20 |
| Sacramento Kings ^ | 2004–05 through 2023–24 | 20 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 2004–05 through 2022–23 | 19 |
| Indiana Pacers | 1976–77 through 1992–93 | 17 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 1984–85 through 2000–01 | 17 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2001–02 through 2017–18 | 17 |
| Detroit Pistons ^ | 2008–09 through 2023–24 | 16 |
| New York Knicks | 1953–54 through 1967–68 | 15 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 1976–77 through 1990–91 | 15 |
| Golden State Warriors | 1991–92 through 2005–06 | 15 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 1995–96 through 2009–10 | 15 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1994–95 through 2007–08 | 14 |
| Toronto Raptors | 2001–02 through 2014–15 | 14 |
| Orlando Magic ^ | 2010–11 through 2023–24 | 14 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 2000–01 through 2012–13 | 13 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1988–89 through 1999–2000 | 12 |
| Houston Rockets | 1997–98 through 2007–08 | 11 |
| Phoenix Suns | 2010–11 through 2019–20 | 10 |
| Utah Jazz | 1974–75 through 1982–83 | 9 |
| Boston Celtics | 1992–93 through 2000–01 | 9 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 1999–2000 through 2007–08 | 9 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 2008–09 through 2016–17 | 9 |
| Chicago Bulls ^ | 2015–16 through 2023–24 | 9 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 1968–69 through 1975–76 2003–04 through 2010–11 | 8 |
| Miami Heat | 1988–89 through 1995–96 | 8 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 1967–68 through 1973–74 2016–17 through 2022–23 | 7 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 2012–13 through 2018–19 | 7 |
| San Antonio Spurs ^ | 2017–18 through 2023–24 | 7 |

### Longest NBA Playoffs appearance droughts

    Appearance droughts updated through the 2023–24 season.
| ^ | Denotes active drought |
| Team | Streak (seasons) | NBA Playoffs appearance droughts |
| Sacramento Kings | 16 | 2006–2022 |
| Buffalo Braves / San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers | 15 | 1977–1991 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 13 | 2005–2017 |
| Golden State Warriors | 12 | 1995–2006 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 10 | 1991–2000 |
| Phoenix Suns | 10 | 2011–2020 |
| New Orleans / Utah Jazz | 9 | 1975–1983 |
| Golden State Warriors | 9 | 1978–1986 |
| Sacramento Kings | 9 | 1987–1995 |
| Washington Bullets | 8 | 1989–1996 |
| Denver Nuggets | 8 | 1996–2003 |
| Vancouver / Memphis Grizzlies | 8 | 1996–2003 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 8 | 1998–2005 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 8 | 2000–2007 |
| Charlotte Hornets ^ | 8 | 2017–Present |

### Longest Conference finals droughts

    Appearance droughts updated through May 13, 2023. The current Conference Finals format was introduced in 1971.
| ^ | Denotes active drought |
| † | Year the team joined the NBA |
| Seasons | Team | NBA Conference Finals appearance droughts |
| 50 | Los Angeles Clippers | 001971 $^†$0– 2020 |
| 45 | Washington Wizards ^ | 1980 – present |
| 44 | Atlanta Hawks | 1971 – 2014 |
| 38 | Golden State Warriors | 1977 – 2014 |
| 34 | Charlotte Hornets ^ | 001989 $^†$0– present |
| 25 | New Jersey Nets | 001977 $^†$0– 2001 |
| 24 | New York Knicks ^ | 2001 – present |
| 23 | Denver Nuggets | 1986 – 2008 |
| 23 | Philadelphia 76ers ^ | 2002 – present |
| 22 | Sacramento Kings | 2003 – present |
| 22 | New Orleans Pelicans ^ | 002003$^†$0 – present |
| 21 | Brooklyn Nets ^ | 2004 – present |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | 01996 $^†$ – 2015 |
| 20 | Sacramento Kings | 1982 – 2001 |
* $^a$ Streak includes seasons as Buffalo Braves and San Diego Clippers.
* $^b$ Team last qualified for the Conference Finals as Washington Bullets.
* $^c$ Franchise inactive for two seasons between 2002 and 2004.
* $^d$ Current Brooklyn Nets; includes one season as New York Nets.
* $^e$ Includes four seasons as Kansas City Kings.

### NBA Division Championship droughts

Updated through the 2023–24 season.
| 0^0 | Longest drought in team history |
| 0♦0 | 2023–24 Division Champion |
Left click once on Seasons since win column heading then once on Division column heading to show teams listed in order of division championships.
| Franchise | Most recent title | Division | Seasons since win |
| Charlotte Hornets ^ | None (enfranchised 1988–89) | Southeast | 34 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves ^ | 2003–04 | Northwest | 20 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 2005–06 | Atlantic | 18 |
| New Orleans Pelicans ^ | 2007–08 | Southwest | 16 |
| Detroit Pistons | 2007–08 | Central | 16 |
| Chicago Bulls | 2011–12 | Central | 12 |
| New York Knicks | 2012–13 | Atlantic | 11 |
| Indiana Pacers | 2013–14 | Central | 10 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 2016–17 | Southwest | 7 |
| Washington Wizards | 2016–17 | Southeast | 7 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 2017–18 | Central | 6 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 2017–18 | Northwest | 6 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2018–19 | Pacific | 5 |
| Toronto Raptors | 2019–20 | Atlantic | 4 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 2019–20 | Pacific | 4 |
| Houston Rockets | 2019–20 | Southwest | 4 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 2020–21 | Southeast | 4 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 2020–21 | Atlantic | 3 |
| Phoenix Suns | 2021–22 | Pacific | 2 |
| Utah Jazz | 2021–22 | Northwest | 2 |
| Sacramento Kings | 2022–23 | Pacific | 1 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 2022–23 | Southwest | 1 |
| Miami Heat | 2022-23 | Southeast | 1 |
| Denver Nuggets | 2022–23 | Northwest | 1 |
| Boston Celtics ♦ | 2023–24 | Atlantic | 0–1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks ♦ | 2023–24 | Central | 0–1 |
| Orlando Magic ♦ | 2023–24 | Southeast | 0 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder ♦ | 2023–24 | Northwest | 0 |
| Los Angeles Clippers ♦ | 2023–24 | Pacific | 0 |
| Dallas Mavericks ♦ | 2023–24 | Southwest | 0–1 |

## Finals droughts
### NBA Finals in which neither team had previously won a championship

In these instances, the matchup ensured that one team would win the first NBA championship in its history.
| 0*0 | Both Teams in 1st NBA Finals appearance |
| Season | Won | Lost | Number of years until loser's drought ended |
| 2006* | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks | 5 |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics (OKC) | 1 |
| 1971* | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets (WAS) | 7 |
| 1957* | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks (ATL) | 1 |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals (PHI) | Fort Wayne Pistons (DET)^ | 34 |
| 1951* | Rochester Royals (SAC)^ | New York Knicks | 19 |
| 1949* | Minneapolis Lakers (LAL)^ | Washington Capitols† | folded 2 years later |
| 1947* | Philadelphia Warriors (GSW) | Chicago Stags† | folded 3 years later |
* ^- Team had previously appeared in the National Basketball League finals before said league was merged for the NBA's formation.
* †- Defunct franchise.
* Abbreviation in parentheses – Current location of NBA franchise.

### NBA Finals in which neither franchise had won a championship in 20-plus seasons

Teams that had never won the NBA championship are included, even if they were less than 20 seasons old at the time.
| Season | Won | Drought (seasons) | Lost | Drought (seasons) |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | 49 | Phoenix Suns | 52* |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | 39 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 44* |
| 2006 | Miami Heat | 17* | Dallas Mavericks | 25* |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | 22* | New York Knicks | 25 |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | 26* | New York Knicks | 20 |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets | 16* | Seattle SuperSonics | 10* |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | 2* | Baltimore Bullets | 9* |
| 1957 | Boston Celtics | 10* | St. Louis Hawks | 7* |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals | 5* | Fort Wayne Pistons | 6* |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | 2* | New York Knicks | 4* |
| 1949* | Minneapolis Lakers | 0* | Washington Capitols† | 2* |
| 1947 | Philadelphia Warriors | 0* | Chicago Stags† | 0* |
Numbers marked with * indicates that the number is counted from either the franchise's first year in the NBA or the first year of the league (1946, then known as the BAA).
* †- Defunct franchise.

## Teams awaiting their first NBA championship

This list includes teams within the current NBA that have never won an NBA championship—sorted by the number of seasons played in the NBA.
Last team to leave list – Denver Nuggets 2023 :
| Total seasons (NBA) | Franchise | Last NBA Finals appearance |
| 56 seasons | Phoenix Suns (1969–present) | 2021 |
| 54 seasons | Los Angeles Clippers§ (1971–present) | — |
| 50 seasons | Utah Jazz§ (1975–present) | 1998 |
| 48 seasons | Indiana Pacers‡ (1977–present) | 2000 |
| 48 seasons | Brooklyn Nets§‡ (1977–present) | 2003 |
| 35 seasons | Minnesota Timberwolves (1990–present) | — |
| 35 seasons | Orlando Magic (1990–present) | 2009 |
| 34 seasons | Charlotte Hornets† (1989–2002; 2005–present) | — |
| 29 seasons | Memphis Grizzlies§ (1996–present) | — |
| 22 seasons | New Orleans Pelicans† (2003–present) | — |

### Notes

* § NBA teams that have relocated from their original city(s).
* † NBA teams that have re-branded to/from their original concept.
* ‡ NBA teams that have won an ABA championship.

### Cities awaiting first NBA championship

Listed according to seasons waited. Current NBA cities/regions only.
Last city to leave list: Denver, 2023 :
| City | Seasons waited | Conference Title(s) | NBA Team(s) |
| Phoenix | 56 | 1976, 1993, 2021 | Phoenix Suns (1969–present) |
| Atlanta | 56 | None | Atlanta Hawks (1969–present) |
| Indianapolis | 48 | 2000 | Indiana Pacers (1977–present) |
| Salt Lake City | 45 | 1997, 1998 | Utah Jazz (1980–present) |
| Sacramento | 39 | None | Sacramento Kings (1986–present) |
| Orlando | 35 | 1995, 2009 | Orlando Magic (1990–present) |
| Charlotte | 34 | None | Charlotte Hornets (1989–2002; 2015–present) Charlotte Bobcats (2005–2014) |
| New Orleans | 27 | None | New Orleans Jazz (1974–1979) New Orleans Hornets (2003–2013) New Orleans Pelicans (2014–present) |
| Memphis | 23 | None | Memphis Grizzlies (2002–present) |
| Oklahoma City | 18 | 2012 | 2 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets seasons (2006–2007) Oklahoma City Thunder seasons (2008–present) |

### NBA Championship droughts by division

| Division | Last NBA Championship | Seasons |
| Southeast Division | 2013 — Heat | 11 |
| Southwest Division | 2014 — Spurs | 10 |
| Central Division | 2021 — Bucks | 3 |
| Pacific Division | 2022 — Warriors | 2 |
| Northwest Division | 2023 — Nuggets | 1 |
| Atlantic Division | 2024 — Celtics | 0 |