Ranking the uniforms of the NBA

Two decades ago, Dallas' uniforms probably would've been considered cutting edge and progressive. They're still modern, but they aren't exactly aging well. The Mavericks have been left behind when it comes to both logo and uniform changes, and now they appear to be stuck with a look that is so dated. 

It's a real shame that the Thunder have such unfortunate-looking logos and uniforms. Although their alternate uniforms are decent, none of their home and road uniforms is any good, and the away uniform that has the words "Oklahoma City" stacked on top of each other instead of sandwiching the numbers is as close to a high school basketball uniform as we'll get to see in the NBA.

In the mid-2000s, a handful of teams jumped on the baby blue/navy blue color scheme fad, and the Grizzlies were one of those teams. They've stayed on that wave and even rode it into what has turned out to be an ill-fated uniform update. The uniforms are far too simple and plain and not in a good way like an enduring classic.

For some reason, the Suns felt the need to throw out their attempt to modernize the old 1990s uniforms and went in a new direction. The result is an uninspired look that is only salvaged by the fact that the unique color scheme of purple-and-orange is still intact. 

Yet another team that has gone backward with a recent visual identity shift is the Denver Nuggets. We are far, far removed from the days of this team having one of the most unique and stylish looks in the NBA as a team focused on powder blue. Instead, they've gone to a more generic color scheme of navy, red and yellow.

After years of wearing perfectly serviceable uniforms, the Pacers decided that it was time for a change. They were yet another victim of downgrading their uniforms. While the Thunder may have tried to go for the high school look of sandwiching the team's numbers between its name, the Pacers actually achieved it. It hasn't worked out for them.

They may have turned into the NBA's latest dynasty, but the Warriors haven't done it in style when it comes to their uniforms. The copperplate font has no place on an athletic uniform, but it's displayed proudly on these uniforms and ruins what had the potential to be a solid tribute to some of the best old-school uniforms ever.

If you're under 30 years old, then there's a good chance that you like these uniforms. If you're above that age, then you probably aren't a huge fan. Since these uniforms were designed with the former crowd's tastes in mind, they probably won't last long, and that should please the latter crowd. This year the Hawks will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with 1968 powder blue-and-red throwbacks.

The Cavaliers were one of the first teams to switch up their uniforms once Nike took over. They're now stuck with a look that reminds fans of the second LeBron era, and these uniforms aren't even that good to begin with. 

The Rockets currently wear uniforms that are miles ahead of what they changed from in the early 2000s/late 1990s. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean that what they're wearing now is good. That's more of a denigration of what they used to wear, rather than a compliment to what they're sporting now.

The good news is that the Raptors have some of the best logos in the league now after they finally distanced themselves from their '90s look. The bad news is that the uniforms aren't quite at that level. The "T" on the shorts is a nice touch, but the wordmark is a bit too rounded and takes away from the rest of the uniform.

The Kings have managed to blend the genius of their old logo with the good memories from the purple-and-silver days to come up with a strong set of new logos. The uniforms aren't the best in the world, but they do well enough and complement the new logos instead of bringing them down. They aren't spectacular, but they aren't horrible.

The Bucks went from having one of the most nondescript uniforms in the league to having a set that's easy on the eyes. There's really nothing to complain about here, and these are a perfect example of new uniforms that should withstand the test of time. Again, there's nothing outstanding here, but there's no shameful design going on, either.

There was time not long ago when the Clippers could hold down the title of having the worst uniforms in the NBA. This was not in dispute in any way, shape, or form. Fortunately, the Clippers realized the error of their ways and got new uniforms as soon as Nike took over. There was nowhere to go but up from their previous mess. and fortunately they actually have respectable uniforms now. The logo is still awful, but at least they got the threads right!

The Jazz made the smart decision to bring back the musical note logo as its new primary logo, and it will always look good on the front of a basketball uniform. The uniforms are a slight downgrade from what Utah had before, but they're not bad either.

The Timberwolves recently underwent a very interesting identity refresh. They have one of the best logos in the NBA, and the uniforms aren't bad either. The standouts are the blindingly green alternate uniforms, but the rest of the set is solid and can stand on its own. This season, to help commemorate their 30th anniversary, the Wolves will sport a 1990s classic uniform as well.

After going back to the patriotic color scheme from the days of the Bullets, the Wizards completed their total elimination of the Wizard itself with their new logo that has the Washington Monument front and center. Combine that with the uniforms that are basically modernized retro Bullets uniforms, and you have a pretty good uniform set. They're the Wizards in name, but they're the Bullets in spirit.

The Pelicans greatly benefited from Nike taking over for one reason and one reason only: They enlarged the once-microscopic wordmark on the front of the jerseys. They now look like a true-blue NBA team out there with a bold wordmark, and their uniforms have become much better to look at. 

If we completely ignore the horrible alternate uniforms (which we're going to do because the less we talk about those, the better), the Magic has a pretty good set of uniforms. It's a good update of the uniforms from the franchise's days as an expansion team, and this team will always look right in pinstripes. Also celebrating their 30th anniversary, the Magic also will occasionally sport their 1990s throwback.

Since the Hornets returned to the NBA, they have had one of the best logo sets in the NBA. The team has fully embraced its teal roots and after making a few slight tweaks, the Hornets now have a very solid uniform look. Another team celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Hornets also will occasionally wear classic white versions of their uniform.

Remember when the Pistons lost their minds back in the 1990s and went to a teal color scheme? Those were scary times, and ever since they fixed that mistake and updated their uniforms to give us a modern take on the ones that they wore during the "Bad Boys" era, the Pistons have been one of the best-looking teams in the league. 

Some teams had growing pains from the wild and crazy days of the 1990s when it came to their uniforms. The Miami Heat wasn't one of them, as they seamlessly left the 1990s with uniforms that can absolutely be considered as modern classics. 

The Knicks simplified their uniforms and eliminated black from their color scheme a few years ago, and they've been one of the best-looking teams in the NBA ever since. They're still a few tweaks away from being in top-five or even top-three territory, but what they have right now is definitely easy on the eyes and a solid addition to New York's uniform catalog. 

The Nets turned heads across the league when they went to a black-and-white color scheme for their move to Brooklyn, and the result is a uniform set that is classy and well suited for a basketball team in the Big Apple. It's a simple but effective look.

Ever since entering the NBA in the late 1970s, the Blazers have stayed true to their visual identity. That look has stayed strong through all of these decades, and the Blazers have a look that is immediately recognizable and one of the best in the league.

San Antonio's color scheme may not be unique anymore thanks to the Nets, but the Spurs were the originators and still the best-looking black-and-white team in the league. They're simple but modern and classy without being boring. It's a fantastic uniform set, and it's fitting that one of the league's model franchises also has a great set of uniforms. 

The Bulls have had the exact same primary logo since they came into existence, and it's been the foundation of a wonderful set of uniforms for a long time now. The Bulls probably won't switch from these uniforms since they're what Michael Jordan wore as Chicago ran roughshod over the league, and that's a good thing. You shouldn't mess with a very, very good thing.

"The Process" is starting to pay off for the Sixers, both in terms of on-court results and in terms of uniforms. They have left the days of wearing what used to be glorified practice uniforms well in the dust. Now, they have a look that is absolutely one of the best in the NBA. 

A lot has changed in the NBA over the years, but one thing remains the same: The Boston Celtics have some of the best uniforms in the NBA. This has been a fact for decades, and it will continue to be so for a very long time. They may dabble in alternate uniforms from time to time, but the Celtics' home-and-away set is one of the best in the league and an identity that their vast fan base can take pride in. 

With LeBron James' arrival in Los Angeles, that of course means that the most popular team in the league is going to capitalize on having the most popular player in the league by coming out with new uniforms. Fortunately, the Lakers did not try to reinvent the wheel and instead they tried to mesh the Showtime Era look with modern design elements. The result is a fantastic home uniform which by itself is enough to give the Lakers the best uniforms in the league.