If the Hornets nickname becomes available, Charlotte might be interested in getting it back.

The Hornets moved to New Orleans from Charlotte in 2002, and when Tom Benson bought the team earlier this year he said that he would like to change the name to something more fitting of Louisiana. Before Wednesday's game, his wife, Gayle, reiterated that idea and added that the franchise also would like to change the team colors from teal and purple to red, gold and navy blue.

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan was asked if he'd be interested in bringing the Hornets name back to Charlotte.

"It's definitely an interest down the road, but right now it's the New Orleans Hornets," Jordan told the Charlotte Observer. "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."

The newspaper reported that throwback Charlotte Hornets jerseys are popular among young fans in the area, and team websites buzz with fans who still prefer the name and color scheme of the Charlotte NBA team that started in 1988.

But owners or fans won't have the final say. The league issued a statement Wednesday saying that it is aware of the Hornets' intentions, but the ultimate decision on team names and colors resides with the NBA.