The team started playing in 2004 , and was the second NBA team to play in Charlotte ( the New Orleans Hornets had played in Charlotte from 1988 to 2002 ) . In 2010 , the Bobcats made the playoffs for the first time . The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team , two seasons after Charlotte 's previous NBA team , the Charlotte Hornets , relocated to New Orleans and became the New Orleans Hornets .