The 2005–06 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets season was the team's 4th season in the NBA. They began the season hoping to improve upon their 18-64 record from the previous season (worst in the Western Conference that year). They finished the season with a 38–44 record, missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Before the commencement of training camp, the City of New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina. With the New Orleans Arena partly damaged and the city's infrastructure in need of repair the Hornets would sign a deal to play most of their games in Oklahoma City, becoming the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets for the season. In Oklahoma City, the Hornets would enjoy sell out crowds at the Ford Center.

The addition of draft pick Chris Paul resulted in the team competing for a playoff spot. In January and February, the club played winning basketball despite losing Chris Andersen to a two-year suspension for illegal drugs. Paul showed the poise and play making skills of a veteran finishing second in steals and seventh in assists as he posted a terrific 3.34 assist to turnover ratio, while leading all rookies with 16.1 ppg.

On March 8 the Hornets returned to New Orleans with a near sell out crowd on hand to watch the Hornets lose to the Los Angeles Lakers 113–107. In March, the Hornets went into a tail spin winning just 3 of 14 games. The Hornets who played 6 of their last 12 home games in New Orleans would go on to finish in 4th place in their division. Chris Paul was named Rookie of the Year.

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