These are the 5 most valuable franchises in the NBA and the prices paid for them

In July 2024, the NBA agreed to a new media rights package worth $76 billion over 11 years, beginning with the 2025-26 season, averaging about $6.9 billion a year - nearly 160% more than its current deal’s worth. This has led to a rise in valuations for each of the 30 NBA franchises.

This spike in valuations is what’s helped Bill Chisholm to purchase the Boston Celtics for a record $6.1 billion. He’ll take over control of the team in the 2027-28 season.

NBA’s most valuable franchises

The average NBA team is worth $4.66 billion, according to CNBC Sport’s official valuations. The Golden State Warriors top the list as of February 2025, with an estimated value of $9.4 billion. On the other end of the list, the Memphis Grizzlies are the least valuable, with an estimated worth of $3.2 billion.

Here are the top 5 most valuable NBA teams according to CNBC Sports, based on their equity and net debt as of February 2025.

1. Golden State Warriors - $9.4 billion

The Warriors have been owned by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber since 2010, and have an estimated value of $9.4 billion. When former owner Chris Cohan sold the team at the time for $450 million, it was a record high price.

They generated $781 million in revenue during the 2023-24 season. The team earns money from their home arena, Chase Center, which they own, including for non-NBA events. They earned nearly $200 million in sponsorship last season, almost double the amount of any other team. It doesn’t hurt that they’ve got two-time MVP Stephen Curry and four championships in the last decade.

2. New York Knicks - $7.5 billion

The Knicks have been owned by Madison Square Garden Sports and its executive chairman James Dolan for decades, originally bought for $1.1 billion. They are worth an estimated $7.5 billion, having generated $578 million in revenue last year.

The Madison Square Garden arena in New York City has helped to keep the franchise profitable and a recent move for Karl-Anthony Towns helped leverage their competitiveness and therefore their fanbase and value in 2024.

3. Los Angeles Lakers - $7 billion

The Lakers, owned by the Jerry Buss family trust, Mark Walter, and Todd Boehly, are worth an estimated $7 billion. The team was bought in 1979 together with the Los Angeles Kings and The Forum, for $67 million.

They earned $528 million in revenue last year. Controlling owner Jeanie Buss played a pivotal role in landing LeBron James in 2018, which largely contributed to the team’s financial growth and brought them to an NBA title in 2020. She’s helped to make the Lakers one of the most marketable and valuable teams in all professional sports.

4. Chicago Bulls - $5.8 billion

The Bulls, owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, are worth an estimated $5.8 billion, having earned $402 million in revenue last year. Reinsdorf purchased the team in 1985 for $16.2 million, and although they’ve only won six titles in those 40 years and have been struggling as of late on the court, their value is actually increasing.

5. Houston Rockets - $5.7 billion

Tilman Fertitta’s Rockets have an estimated valuation of $5.7 billion, earning $402 million in revenue last year.

Fertitta bought the Rockets from Leslie Alexander in 2017 for $2.2 billion, an investment that’s paying off now.

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