The NBA just keeps on growing by the year. As the NBA grows around the world. So does the expenditure. I can certainly say I’ve copped my fair share of NBA gear. Many teams are gaining popularity as the sport itself grows and that’s great to see.
So great, that Forbes has valued 11 NBA franchises at minimum of 1 Billion Dollars.
1. The Lakers: $2.6 billion, a 93 percent increase over last year’s estimate;
2. The Knicks: $2.5 billion, a 79 percent year-over-year bump;
3. The Chicago Bulls: $2 billion, a full doubling of the 2014 figure;
4. The Boston Celtics: $1.7 billion, up 94 percent;
5. The Los Angeles Clippers: $1.6 billion, a staggering 178 percent increase that still somehow comes in under the actual price tag that former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer paid for the franchise back in May (but does top the estimate offered by Bank of America prior to Ballmer’s senses-shattering bid);
6. The Brooklyn Nets: $1.5 billion, a 92 percent year-over-year increase, which sure helps you understand why Mikhail Prokhorov is, if not actively pursuing an exit, at least very excited to listen to offers (especially considering the Nets’ free-spending ways led them to be the only NBA club that actually lost money last year);
7. The Golden State Warriors: $1.3 billion, a 73 percent bump from 2014, and nearly three times as much as Joe Lacob, Peter Guber and their partners paid for the franchise in the summer of 2010;
8. The Houston Rockets: $1.2 billion, a 61 percent increase;
9. The Miami Heat: $1.175 billion, up 53 percent from last year;
10. The Dallas Mavericks: $1.15 billion, a 50 percent rise that comes more in line with owner Mark Cuban’s statement last January that his team was “worth well over a billion”;
11. The San Antonio Spurs: $1 billion, a 52 percent increase over last year’s model, which seems like a fairly reasonable reward for winning the NBA championship. (Description via Yahoo! Sports)
Forbes has also estimated that all 30 teams are worth at least $600 Million. That’s some crazy cash. You never know. Maybe someday all NBA franchises will be worth over a Billion.
