NBA
Warriors, Knicks, Lakers Top Sportico’s 2024 List of Most Valuable NBA Franchises
James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.
All posts by James FoglioUpdated3 hours ago on December 19, 2024
The Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers topped the list of the NBA’s most valuable franchises this year, Sportico announced in its annual assessment Wednesday.
Golden State Warriors are the second-most valuable major U.S. sports franchise, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys
The Warriors are worth $9.14 billion, topping both the Knicks ($8.3 billion) and the Lakers ($8.07 billion), according to the report. Golden State is also the second-most valuable franchise out of the four U.S. major sports, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys ($10.3 billion).
Per Field Level Media, the assessments include ownership’s real estate and team-related businesses, such as WNBA franchises. Among the top-10 NBA franchises, only the Lakers and Boston Celtics don’t control their venues.
| Rank | NBA Team | 2024 Valuation | 1-Year Value Increase |
| 1.) | Golden State Warriors | $9.14 billion | 10% |
| 2.) | New York Knicks | $8.3 billion | 12% |
| 3.) | Los Angeles Lakers | $8.07 billion | 10% |
| 4.) | Brooklyn Nets | $5.7 billion | 43% |
| 5.) | Los Angeles Clippers | $5.68 billion | 25% |
| 6.) | Boston Celtics | $5.66 billion | 11% |
| 7.) | Chicago Bulls | $5.56 billion | 15% |
| 8.) | Miami Heat | $5 billion | 20% |
| 9.) | Houston Rockets | $4.77 billion | 18% |
| 10.) | Toronto Raptors | $4.66 billion | 13% |
| 11.) | Philadelphia 76ers | $4.57 billion | 11% |
| 12.) | Dallas Mavericks | $4.46 billion | 11% |
| 13.) | Phoenix Suns | $4.32 billion | 8% |
| 14.) | Sacramento Kings | $4.11 billion | 19% |
| 15.) | Atlanta Hawks | $4.07 billion | 21% |
| 16.) | Denver Nuggets | $4.06 billion | 19% |
| 17.) | Washington Wizards | $3.98 billion | 20% |
| 18.) | Cleveland Cavaliers | $3.95 billion | 23% |
| 19.) | Milwaukee Bucks | $3.91 billion | 22% |
| 20.) | San Antonio Spurs | $3.79 billion | 15% |
| 21.) | Indiana Pacers | $3.74 billion | 14% |
| 22.) | Utah Jazz | $3.67 billion | 13% |
| 23.) | Portland Trail Blazers | $3.6 billion | 10% |
| 24.) | Oklahoma City Thunder | $3.55 billion | 15% |
| 25.) | Orlando Magic | $3.46 billion | 11% |
| 26.) | Detroit Pistons | $3.45 billion | 11% |
| 27.) | Charlotte Hornets | $3.39 billion | 13% |
| 28.) | Minnesota Timberwolves | $3.29 billion | 12% |
| 29.) | New Orleans Pelicans | $3.09 billion | 14% |
| 30.) | Memphis Grizzlies | $3.06 billion | 9% |
- Table Data Retrieved From Sportico
According to Sportico, NBA teams have a higher value-to-revenue ratio than those of any other major U.S. sports league. On that list, MLS is second, followed by the NFL, the NHL, the WNBA, the NWSL and MLB.
The average NBA team is worth $4.6 billion, a 15% increase over last year and nearly twice the worth from four years ago. The Warriors’ value likely went up 10% from 2023 because their affiliated WNBA expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, is set to begin its inaugural season next year.
Barclays Center is the world’s highest-grossing arena
Additionally, the Knicks had a 12% increase, and the Lakers had a 10% climb. The Brooklyn Nets are fourth on the list with a $5.7 billion value, a rise of 43% from the club’s 13th-place ranking last year.
Per Sportico, Billboard cited the Nets’ Barclays Center as the world’s highest-grossing arena in April, finishing No. 6 overall in the world to give the team its league-high increase.
Rounding out the top 10 are the Los Angeles Clippers ($5.68 billion), the for-sale Boston Celtics ($5.66 billion), the Chicago Bulls ($5.56 billion), the Miami Heat ($5 billion), the Houston Rockets ($4.77 billion), and the Toronto Raptors ($4.66 billion).
The bottom three on the list are the Minnesota Timberwolves ($3.29 billion), the New Orleans Pelicans ($3.09 billion), and the Memphis Grizzlies ($3.06 billion).
