The American basketball business has never been in better health. According to the latest valuation report published by Sportico, the aggregate value of the 30 NBA franchises has reached an astronomical $199 billion, recording a monster 21% growth compared to the previous year.
Today, the average NBA franchise is worth something like $6.64 billion, a figure driven upward by a series of recent billion-dollar sales, new commercial agreements, and an increasingly global media rights market. In the landscape of global sports business, the NBA confirms itself as a money-making machine with very few equals.
| Rank | Team | Valuation (Billions of $) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden State Warriors | $14.50B |
| 2 | New York Knicks | $12.80B |
| 3 | Los Angeles Lakers | $12.50B |
| 4 | LA Clippers | $8.21B |
| 5 | Chicago Bulls | $8.13B |
| 6 | Miami Heat | $8.05B |
| 7 | Boston Celtics | $8.00B |
| 8 | Brooklyn Nets | $7.45B |
| 9 | Philadelphia 76ers | $7.15B |
| 10 | Houston Rockets | $6.92B |
| 11 | Toronto Raptors | $6.47B |
| 12 | Dallas Mavericks | $6.35B |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | $6.32B |
| 14 | Atlanta Hawks | $6.08B |
| 15 | Sacramento Kings | $5.71B |
| 16 | Washington Wizards | $5.56B |
| 17 | Denver Nuggets | $5.51B |
| 18 | San Antonio Spurs | $5.30B |
| 19 | Indiana Pacers | $5.26B |
| 20 | Milwaukee Bucks | $5.14B |
| 21 | Oklahoma City Thunder | $5.00B |
| 22 | Utah Jazz | $4.92B |
| 23 | Orlando Magic | $4.90B |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | $4.86B |
| 25 | Charlotte Hornets | $4.85B |
| 26 | Detroit Pistons | $4.83B |
| 27 | Minnesota Timberwolves | $4.50B |
| 28 | Portland Trail Blazers | $4.40B |
| 29 | New Orleans Pelicans | $4.25B |
| 30 | Memphis Grizzlies | $4.20B |
Sitting at the top of the rankings for the fifth consecutive year are the Golden State Warriors. With a record valuation of $14.5 billion, the San Francisco franchise not only secures the top spot in the league but also ranks second globally in the sports world, closely tailing the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
The real surprise of the year unfolds on the second step of the podium. The New York Knicks, fresh off a fantastic season on the court as well, reclaim the silver medal with a value of $12.8 billion. They have officially surpassed the Los Angeles Lakers, who slide to third place at $12.5 billion.
However, data analysis highlights an increasingly stark divide within the league itself:
- A stellar entry price: Despite the gap, owning an NBA team is now a luxury for a select few. The “minimum price” to join the club is represented by the Memphis Grizzlies, who rank last but are still valued at a whopping $4.2 billion (a figure higher than the average value of an NBA franchise just six years ago).
- The flight of the titans: Franchises in the top half of the standings saw their value soar, with an average growth of 26% year-over-year. When you add the certainty of massive future earnings from media rights to this kind of return, it easily explains the line of investors ready to take over any franchise.
- The back of the pack is struggling: Conversely, the four lowest-valued teams in the league recorded a much more modest growth, averaging just 5%.
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