The Most Valuable NBA Franchises From 2000-2023

In the NBA, the value of a franchise can be broken down into four categories. The market each franchise resides in, their arena, their on-court results, and their overall brand. This is why teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks usually top Forbes’ list of most valuable NBA franchises year after year. 

In the last 24 seasons, the overall value of NBA franchises has increased significantly going from an average value of $369 million in 2010 to $2 billion today in 2024 while the teams atop the list of the most valuable remain mostly the same. Today, we will have a short look over the last 24 years and the most valuable NBA franchises from each season, taking a look at their attendance, performance on the court, and brands that contributed to their massive valuations over time.

1999-00 - New York Knicks - $396 Million

In 2000, the New York Knicks were first on the list of most valuable NBA teams with a valuation of $396 million according to Forbes. Their residency in “The World’s Most Famous Arena”, Madison Square Garden as well as their unwavering fan support through the years and in one of the biggest markets in the world in New York make them a regular at the top of this list.

In 2000, the Knicks were still a powerful brand both on and off the court. Led by the trio of Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston, and Patrick Ewing, the team advanced to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Indiana Pacers, doing wonders for their income in ticket sales for the year. They also ranked fourth in attendance that season with an average of 19,786 fans at every home game.

2000-01 - Los Angeles Lakers - $400 Million

In 2001, the power in the NBA began to shift back toward the West Coast in Los Angeles with the Lakers valued at $400 million. Led by the superstar duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers went on to win their first championship since 1988 with sheer dominance and pageantry along the way.

This led to an explosion in attendance, and ticket sales as a result of a championship run, and their recognition as a global brand. The Lakers ranked eighth in attendance in 2001 as the Staples Center became a hub for entertainment simultaneously with the team’s success. Given that Los Angeles is the biggest market in the NBA besides New York, the next few years were a lucrative run for the purple and gold.

2001-02 - New York Knicks - $400 Million

The 2001-02 New York Knicks being atop the Forbes list for the most valuable team in the NBA is a testament to their long-standing history and just how powerful being in a big market can be for the survival of an NBA franchise. On the court, the Knicks were dreadful, winning just 30 games, going through two head coaches, and missing the NBA playoffs.

Yet, the market in New York did not let them down. Madison Square Garden was still netting record numbers for ventures outside of basketball and they remained in the top five for attendance with 810,283 for the year and an average of 19,763 per game. The Knicks’ status as a valuable NBA franchise transcended wins and losses as it still does to this day.

2002-03 - Los Angeles Lakers - $426 Million

The Shaq and Kobe effect showed its true nature of force in 2003 as the Lakers once again soared to the top as the NBA’s most valuable franchise. They were now worth 7.7% more than the Knicks (%398 million) in 2003 and had grown their overall value by 18.3% in the last two years alone.

The success of the team on the court made Los Angeles a hotbed for business growth. The dominant duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal just delivered the city’s third championship in a row and were on top of the world with no signs of slowing down anywhere. Winning had made the Lakers a powerhouse once again both in the world of basketball and the world of business even when barely cracking the top 10 in attendance throughout the season (18,972 per game).

2003-04 - Los Angeles Lakers - $447 Million

The Lakers continued to build on their success in 2003-04, increasing their value by 5% to $447 million. In the offseason, amid rumors of a rift between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, the Lakers acquired two more Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton to build an ultimate superteam. While it ended in heartbreak in the NBA Finals and O’Neal skipping town for good, it did wonders for everyone’s wallets.

The allure of Kobe Bryant as a superstar was a powerful force that could not be stopped in terms of being a money-making machine for the Lakers. The effects were extremely similar to those that Jordan had on the Bulls as a brand in the 1990s. The Lakers continued to bank on this success for the next 15 years.

The Lakers were now one of two teams in the NBA to be worth over $400 million with the Knicks worth significantly less at $401 million. The team had also slowly begun to increase their game attendance, now ranking seventh in the NBA with 18,969 fans showing up every night. The Lakers had reached the pinnacle of their success during this time and banked on Kobe’s rise to global icon to continue to carry that success into the future.

2004-05 - New York Knicks - $543 Million

The New York Knicks would trot out a roster worth over $100 million in salary for the 2004-05 season. With names such as Penny Hardaway and Stephon Marbury leading the way, there was a buzz in New York that fans bought into. It led to an NBA-leading $74 million in ticket sales that season, ballooning their total value to $543 million.

Despite the amount they invested in their team, the Knicks were tragically bad on the court. They finished the year with a 33-49 record and were far from the playoff contender fans were promised. In the end, the Knicks once again showed why their market, loyal fans, and the brand they had built were the strongest in the NBA, leading the way with $543 million in value for the year.

2005-06 - New York Knicks - $593 Million

Despite their continued struggles on the court, the Knicks would see an increase in their valuation from 2005 to 2006 to continue to lead the NBA at $593 million. On the court, the Knicks were a disaster, however, with $126.6 million invested in its players that amounted to a 23-59 record led by Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry, and Jamal Crawford.

It was truly remarkable to see such a horrid product hit the court in 2005-06 for the Knicks yet they remained sixth in attendance with an average of 18,93 fans showing up every night. Even in their worst moments, New York continued to prove that the power of the Knicks brand and Madison Square Garden as an entity were as powerful as any in sports.

2006-07 - New York Knicks - $608 Million

In 2007, the New York Knicks were in disarray in terms of their direction as an NBA franchise. Head Coach Isiah Thomas’ time with the team was in constant question as they underperformed once again with a 33-49 record. Their continued standing as the most valuable franchise only gets weirder as the facts are presented.

In 2006-07, the Knicks had the lowest operating income in the NBA at -$42.2 million. This was based on their performance on the court and missing the NBA playoffs once again. Despite this, their revenues were $196 million, the highest in the NBA allowing them to maintain their status as the most valuable franchise in the league for a fourth straight season.

2007-08 - New York Knicks - $613 Million

Another 1% increase in value for the New York Knicks kept their spot as the most valuable in the NBA at $613 million. The 2007-08 season was a record-setting one for the NBA who saw highs in average franchise value ($369 million) and league-wide revenues ($3.8 billion). The league also saw each team turn a profit of at least $10.6 million as well, the most it had ever seen in league history.

The Knicks remained the only franchise in the NBA at $613 million while the Lakers couldn’t quite get over the hump at $584 million in second place. Even with all of their success as a brand, the Knicks’ product on the court continued to be the laughingstock of the NBA. They finished with the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 23-59 for the second time in four seasons.

2008-09 - New York Knicks - $609.4 Million

In 2008-09, the Knicks welcomed in Coach Mike D’Antoni and hoped for a new era under the previously successful coach after the debacle known as the Isiah Thomas era. Despite their hopes, and their clear success off the court, the Knicks sustained their on-court sub-mediocrity. The team would go 30-52 on the season, their fifth straight playoff-less season.

The slight decrease in value for the Knicks in 2008-09 from the previous season may not seem like much. With their continued struggles to put a competitive product on the court, it was only a sign of things to come the following year as they relinquished their throne.

2009-10 - Los Angeles Lakers - $607 Million

The struggles in New York combined with the resurgence of success in Los Angeles allowed the Lakers to reclaim the top spot as the NBA’s most valuable team in 2008-09. Unlike the Knicks, the Lakers were trending in an upward direction, becoming NBA champions in 2009 led by the duo of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

As Kobe Bryant once again led the Lakers to the promised land and obtained unparalleled superstardom, the franchise saw itself become the only team in the NBA worth at least $600 million. With the Knicks' 4% drop in value and the Lakers' 4% increase, the purple and gold were once again Kings of the NBA both on and off the court.

2010-11 - New York Knicks - $655 Million

After a brief hiatus from the top spot among the NBA’s most valuable teams, the Knicks returned in 2010-11 with a surge up the rankings at $655 million. A new era of basketball and a reinvigorated fanbase caused attendance, merchandise, and overall sales to skyrocket once again, leading the Knicks to record success.

It all started with the arrival of Amar’e Stoudemire via trade in July 2010 followed by the world-pausing rumors of a potential Carmelo Anthony deal from Denver in the works. In February, Anthony would arrive in New York, throwing the city and Knicks fans into a frenzy. The season ended with a 42-40 overall record and a first-round loss to the Celtics but the Knicks had their team of the future and made a lot of money off their investments.

2011-12 - Los Angeles Lakers - $900 Million

The 2011-12 season saw blockbuster television deals and a new collective bargaining agreement drive up the values of teams in the NBA. No team got a bigger push than the Los Angeles Lakers whose $200 million per year deal with Time Warner Cable drove the value of the franchise up 40% to an insane $900 million.

The Lakers were able to capitalize on both English and Spanish markets with their new television deal, increasing profits with record margins. Television ratings across the board were already up 50% in the NBA thanks to other movements around the league. The Lakers were not the championship squad they had been two seasons earlier, losing in the second round to the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, the continued allure of Kobe Bryant and the history of winning in Laker land saw them rise to the top once again.

2012-13 - New York Knicks - $1.1 Billion

The New York Knicks would strike back in 2012, once again breaking new grounds as a franchise worth over $1.0 billion for the 2012-13 season. The Knicks would see their value rise over 41% from 2012 thanks to $83 million in profit and an NBA-high $243 million in revenue. While taking advantage of their own television deal as well as the Lakers’ waiting to kick in, the Knicks once again became the most valuable franchise in the NBA.

On the court, the Knicks had one of their best seasons in a decade, finishing with a 54-28 record and the second seed in the East playoffs. After beating Boston in the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks fell to the Pacers in six games in round two but a near-MVP season from Carmelo Anthony had the town buzzing.

2013-14 - New York Knicks - $1.4 Billion

The New York Knicks not only took advantage of their television deals in 2013-14 to stay at the top of the NBA’s most valuable teams but also renovations to Madison Square Garden and a 27% increase in value would once again make them the envy of the NBA. The Knicks remained in rare air as one of three teams to be valued above $1 billion as the NBA once again saw record revenue and operating income.

At the top of the revenue list for the season was the Lakers with $294 million while the Knicks were close behind with $287 million. On the court, the team found themselves taking a massive step backward. They finished under .500 for the first time in the Carmelo Anthony era, missing the NBA playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

2014-15 - Los Angeles Lakers - $2.6 Billion

Thanks to their massive deal with Time Warner and increased revenue across the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers saw its valuation more than double from 2013-14 to $2.6 billion. The average NBA team was now worth $1.1 billion, though heavily front-loaded by 10 teams worth over $1 billion.

Even with all of their success in the business realm, the Los Angeles Lakers could not be saved on the court. They would finish the season with a 17-65 record, unable to be saved by an older and oft-injured Kobe Bryant. The Lakers had capitalized on their success earlier in the decade just enough to continue to grow as the NBA’s most valuable franchise.

2015-16 - New York Knicks - $3.0 Billion

In 2015-16, the Knicks would see yet another massive increase in valuation. This time, the overall value of the franchise would go up 20% from 2014-15, allowing the Knicks to become the first NBA team to reach a $3 billion valuation.

Although their star attraction, Carmelo Anthony, was still playing at an All-Star level, the Knicks as a whole were far less than mediocre. The team would finish with a 32-50 record on the season, continuing a seemingly never ending playoff drought. Following the season, the Knicks parted ways with Anthony, officially concluding one of the saddest eras in team history.

2016-17 - New York Knicks - $3.3 Billion

With all of the changes coming to their team in 2016, and their continued lack of success on the court, the Knicks still managed to maintain their spot atop the NBA’s most valuable teams at $3.3 billion in 2016-17. The Lakers and Warriors found themselves right on the Knicks’ heels at $3.0 billion and $2.6 billion respectively but once again could not lay claim to the No. 1 spot.

In their first season without Carmelo Anthony, and under Jeff Hornacek as coach, the Knicks won just one less game than the season prior with Anthony in the lineup. They finished with a 31-51 record, failing to make the NBA playoffs but also proving that moving on from Anthony was probably the right decision financially.

2017-18 - New York Knicks - $3.6 Billion

The New York Knicks held onto their top spot in 2017-18 as well with the help of their new franchise star Kristaps Porzingis as well as their continued dominance in revenue, market, and as a brand. The Knicks watched Porzingis selected as an All-Star for the first time in his career only to see the Latvian big man go down 48 games into the season with a torn ACL.

With their No. 1 option down for the count, the Knicks would limp to the finish line as well, finishing with yet another playoff-less season at 23-59. Coach Jeff Hornacek would be let go at season’s end in favor of David Fizdale who would have no better luck at the helm either. As things burned around them, Knicks ownership swam in gold as a $3.6 billion company.

2018-19 - New York Knicks - $4.0 Billion

The 2018-19 season saw all 30 NBA teams reach the $1.2 billion mark in terms of valuation for the first time in the history of the league. Despite sending their star big man Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas in a trade, the Knicks saw their valuation increase by $400 million to become the first team ever worth $4 billion.

Their 17-65 overall record on the season would tie the 2014-15 team for the worst finish in franchise history. It speaks volumes to the work the team has done over the years to brand themselves, their arena, and their market while during the worst seasons ever experienced by the organization.

2019-20 - New York Knicks - $4.6 Billion

In 2019-20, just three teams increased their value over the $4.0 billion mark. The sustained success of the Golden State Warriors fueled their valuation to $4.3 billion while the Lakers added LeBron James which helped push theirs to $4.6 billion. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks won just 17 games and fired coach David Fizdale as well as President of Basketball Operations, Steve Mills.

In the midst of inner turmoil, the Knicks remained diligent in their business success, reaching a league-leading $4.6 billion in valuation. While their product on the court remained abysmal at 21-61, the Knicks continued to be the gold standard of what turning a franchise into a golden goose should look like.

2020-21 - New York Knicks - $5.0 Billion

Following the 2020 season, there was an ongoing fear of how the product would bounce back from a COVID-19-filled season that saw them have a short offseason between the NBA Finals in Orlando, Florida and the start of the 2021 season.

The biggest change in team valuations was that the Golden State Warriors were finally able to overthrow the Los Angeles Lakers for second place on the list following eight seasons of continued dominance. With the Lakers at $.6 billion and the Warriors at $4.7 billion, both teams were still chasing the Knicks who became the first franchise to reach a value of $5 billion in NBA history.

The Knicks ushered in a new era in 2021, led by the young RJ Barrett and Most Improved Player Julius Randle. The team would go 41-31 in the short season, advancing to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2013. They would fall to the Hawks in the first round but things were just beginning in the Big Apple.

2021-22 - Golden State Warriors - $7.0 Billion

History was made in 2022 in the NBA in terms of team valuations. For the first time in over two decades, a team other than the Knicks or the Lakers stood alone as the most valuable franchise in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors had finally seen their decade of dominance led by an NBA icon in Stephen Curry pay off as the franchise became the most valuable in the league.

Heading into 2021-22, the Warriors had won three NBA titles since 2015. They had a two-time MVP who single-handedly changed how the game was played, moving the game to the three-point line and fueling an offensive explosion the league had never seen.

The Warriors would have their ups and downs in 2022 but ultimately find themselves in contention for the NBA Finals against Boston. The Warriors would go on to win their fourth NBA title in eight seasons with Curry finally claiming Finals MVP honors. The win solidified their status as one of the greatest franchises in league history both off and on the court.

2022-23 - Golden State Warriors - $7.7 Billion

While a new era is dawning before us on the court for the Golden State Warriors, things remained lucrative and fruitful off of it. In large part to their record-breaking $765 million in revenue, the Warriors remained the NBA’s most valuable team, reaching $7.7 billion in overall value and bringing in 48% more than any other team in the league.

Even though the success was incredible off the court, the Warriors began to fall apart on the court. The team began their title defense with a very public physical altercation between teammates Jordan Poole and Draymond Green. The shadow followed them the entire season for a team that somehow managed to still make the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Warriors would be eliminated in the second round by the Los Angeles Lakers, falling short of a successful title defense.