A year ago, when Forbes released its annual NBA franchise valuations, the Knicks were reeling from the news that Kristaps Porzingis has suffered a torn ACL, but still earned the top spot on Forbes’ list of the league’s most valuable teams.
This time around, Knicks fans are reeling from the trade that sent Porzingis to Dallas. Once again though, the franchise is still considered the most valuable of any of the NBA’s 30 clubs, according to a report from Kurt Badenhausen and Mike Ozanian of Forbes.
For the first time, all 30 NBA teams have a perceived worth of $1.2 billion or more, per Forbes’ annual report. While all 30 teams’ valuations cracked the $1 billion threshold for the first time last year, 10 franchises were below $1.2 billion.
The league-wide average of $1.9 billion per team in 2019 is also a new record, with franchise valuations up 13% in total over last year’s figures. NBA franchise values have once again tripled over the last five years, according to Badenhausen and Ozanian.
Here’s the full list of NBA franchise valuations, per Forbes:
- New York Knicks: $4 billion
- Los Angeles Lakers: $3.7 billion
- Golden State Warriors: $3.5 billion
- Chicago Bulls: $2.9 billion
- Boston Celtics: $2.8 billion
- Brooklyn Nets: $2.35 billion
- Houston Rockets: $2.3 billion
- Dallas Mavericks: $2.25 billion
- Los Angeles Clippers: $2.2 billion
- Miami Heat: $1.75 billion
- Toronto Raptors: $1.675 billion
- Philadelphia 76ers: $1.65 billion
- San Antonio Spurs: $1.625 billion
- Portland Trail Blazers: $1.6 billion
- Sacramento Kings: $1.575 billion
- Washington Wizards: $1.55 billion
- Phoenix Suns: $1.5 billion
- Oklahoma City Thunder: $1.475 billion
- Utah Jazz: $1.425 billion
- Indiana Pacers: $1.4 billion
- Denver Nuggets: $1.375 billion
- Milwaukee Bucks: $1.35 billion
- Orlando Magic: $1.325 billion
- Atlanta Hawks: $1.3 billion
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $1.275 billion
- Detroit Pistons: $1.27 billion
- Minnesota Timberwolves: $1.26 billion
- Charlotte Hornets: $1.25 billion
- New Orleans Pelicans: $1.22 billion
- Memphis Grizzlies: $1.2 billion
The Sixers are this year’s big riser, moving from 21st on the 2018 list to 12th in 2019. Conversely, the Cavaliers fell the most. After losing LeBron James, Cleveland was the only franchise to see its valuation dip from year to year, as it decreased from $1.325 billion (15th) in 2018 to $1.275 billion (25th) in 2019.
Crock of bullsh%t, how can a freaking perennial loser be worth that much???? You would think the Celtics and Fakers would be at the very top of the list.
The huge New York market, Madison Square Garden, etc…you have to think way beyond just winning for a team’s financial value.
Why do you think all the teams in big markets are at the top, and all the small markets are at the bottom?
It’s New York…Same thing with Brooklyn being in the top 10
Get out from under your rock. New York City exists
other than the Skankees, nothing but a city of losing teams
Giants won a few SBs…
they play in new New Jersey. only NY team is the Bills
It’s the New York market genius
since when, they play in NJ, don’t they? Just like the Loser Jets,,New York in name only
The stadium location is irrelevant, dip.
So that means the Boston has zero super bowls and it’s New England that has the super bowls?
So now we know LeBron’s real market value…$50 million.
You mean 3.7 billion /s
Surprised Dallas is that high
I’ll take three
Valuation is about what the franchise is worth (inherently forward looking), not the team’s W/L record (inherently backward looking).
IMO, the valuations of all the larger market franchises are systemically understated in these lists. Before Ballmer paid 2 B for the Clips, there wasn’t a single list that valued them at even 1 B (Forbes was on the high end at 850 MM). In the current asset bubble, I don’t think it would be any problem to get over 5 B for the Lakers. If the Knicks were put out to bid, separate from MSG’s other assets, the price would be closer to 10 B than 4 B. I don’t think that would be proportional down the line for the smaller market and less historical franchises.
Franchise valuations are so high, it’s been that way since the 80s, you think it can’t go higher but it always does.
$4 billion for the Knicks. That’s a lot of bang for your buck