The NBA, where a big three combination of players often proves successful on the court, has a big three in terms of franchise value too.
The Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are the league’s most valuable franchises by a wide margin, Sportico announced in its annual assessment Wednesday.
The Warriors are worth $9.14 billion, the Knicks $8.3 billion and the Lakers $8.07 billion, according to the report. Golden State is considered the second-most valuable franchise in U.S. sports, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys ($10.3 billion).
The assessments include ownership’s real estate and team-related businesses such as WNBA franchises.
The average NBA team is worth $4.6 billion, a 15% rise over last year and nearly twice the worth from four years ago.
The Warriors, who have an affiliated WNBA expansion team set to start next year, saw their value go up 10% from 2023. The Knicks had a 12% rise, and the Lakers had a 10% rise.
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. Billboard cited the Nets’ Barclays Center as the world’s highest-grossing arena as of April.
Rounding out the top 10 are the LA 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).
Among the top 10 franchises, only the Lakers and Celtics don’t control their venues.
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).
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.
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have had an unpredictable NBA season filled with highs and lows. The team’s recent 144-93 defeat against the Memphis Grizzlies—a staggering 51-point margin—highlighted their struggles, but Curry remains composed, emphasizing his faith in the team’s potential to recover.
The Grizzlies’ game marked one of the franchise’s worst losses in recent memory. Stephen Curry, usually the Warriors’ offensive engine, had an unusually quiet night, scoring just two points. Yet, the four-time NBA champion was unfazed by the subpar performance.
“We get blown out like this once a year. [But compared to the 50-point loss against the Boston Celtics earlier this year], I like the vibes better right now. I’m going to keep saying it cause I genuinely believe it: we are better than what we’ve been playing. Better than what we showed tonight,” Curry shared with ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
Remaining Confident in the Warriors’ Potential
Despite the crushing loss, Curry and his teammates are focused on rebounding from their recent struggles. With a mix of seasoned players and emerging talent, the Warriors are equipped to handle challenging moments.
“I don’t like the ‘panic’ word. Accept where you’re at. Buck up and figure out how to change the momentum of the season. Panic kinda means you don’t have an answer. I think we do have answers; it’s just maybe [there should be] a sense of urgency, for sure,” Curry added.
A Path Forward for the Warriors in the NBA
The blowout loss to Memphis underscores the adjustments needed for the Warriors to regain their winning form. However, with Curry’s leadership and the team’s proven resilience, Golden State has the opportunity to learn from these setbacks and reestablish itself as a powerhouse in the NBA.
