Most Valuable NBA Teams 2020: Lakers, Warriors In $4B Club

Most Valuable NBA Teams 2020- Lakers, Warriors In $4B Club
The Lakers and Warriors join the $4 billion club with Knicks in the most valuable NBA teams. (Image credit: nba.com)

As an NBA fan, or someone looking to expand their stock holdings, you may be wondering which teams are the most valuable NBA Teams in 2020. The NBA is without any doubt the biggest league in basketball, with its players earning on average, $3.5 million in annual salary and the average NBA teams worth over $2 billion. As of 2011, no franchise in the NBA was valued as much as $1 billion.

According to Forbes, the average NBA teams value has surged nearly six times its value in 2010, compared to other major sports leagues in the United States such as the NFL, MLB and the NHL growing at a much slower rate. This is of cause due to their amazing media deals as well as international recognition.

While we review in informative terms, the top-10 most valuable NBA teams right now, you can jump right ahead to the complete 2020 NBA franchise valuations list. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the money countdown.

Here Are The Top-10 Most Valuable NBA Teams In 2020

10. Toronto Raptors – $2.1 Billion

Filling the number 10 spot on the list is the Toronto Raptors. With the team winning their first NBA title in the 2018-19 season, which also saw the Raptors host all 12 playoff games, the Raptors saw their financial strength rise by a whopping 25% this past season. Their sponsorships and endorsements also contribute to their growth, with the club signing a $640 million contract with Scotiabank in the 2018-19 season changing the name of the Raptors’ home grounds to the Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors also draw the big bucks from sponsors like Coca-Cola, Google, Air Canada, Ford, MasterCard and LG. The Toronto Raptors are currently worth $2.1 billion.

9. Dallas Mavericks – $2.4 Billion

The Dallas Mavericks may not have won any playoff matches since 2011, but they really do have the most loyal fans. The Mavericks has always had a full house in every match, no matter their performance. The American Airlines Arena has sold out in over ‘800 consecutive matches.’ The team is currently worth $2.4 billion, which shows their level of progress in comparison to the ‘$280 million’ which club owner Mark Cuban (who is also a loyal and passionate fan) spent in purchasing the team in the year 2000. Their sponsorship deals with Walmart, Coca-Cola, Lexus, Dr Pepper and Pizza hut also accounts for a significant amount in revenue.

8. Houston Rockets – $2.475 Billion

With Yao Ming as their star player during his time with the Rockets came several sponsorships and TV rights not just for the Houston Rockets, but the NBA as a whole. But most of the Chinese endorsements went away when Daryl Morey the Rockets General Manager openly supported the uprising in Hong Kong on Twitter. The tweet has since been deleted, but the repercussions have been irreversible. The team still has several endorsements including deals with Toyota, NGR Energy Inc, Budweiser, Rokit and Adidas. The Houston Rockets comes in at number 8 with $2.475 billion.

7. Brooklyn Nets – $2.5 Billion

The Brooklyn Nets have been losing money for a while now, until the billionaire co-founder of Alibaba (the Chinese E-commerce giant) Joseph Tsai became the sole owner of the team, spending $2.3 billion, before spending another $1 billion to purchase the Barclays Center. With sponsorship deals from the likes of Honda, Qatar Airways, Geico, American Express, Jetblue Airways and Barclays, coupled with the marquee signings of free agents Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, the team is finally taking steps in the right direction. The Brooklyn Nets are currently worth $2.5 billion and they come in at No.7.

6.  Los Angeles Clippers – $2.6 Billion

When it comes to popularity and fanbase, the Clippers have played second fiddle to the Lakers since they moved to  California’s Los Angeles in 1984. But when Microsoft’s former billionaire CEO Steve Ballmer bought the team for a then-record $2 billion in 2014, the Clippers finally began taking steps in the right direction.

With the current owner, Ballmer, already pushing for their own state of the art 19,500 capacity arena by 2024, plus the recent signings of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, it won’t be long before they are on the same level as the Lakers. The LA Clippers are currently worth $2.6 billion and have already attracted sponsorships from companies like ARCO, Lexus, Statefarm, Carmax, and KIA.

5. Boston Celtics – $3.1 Billion

The Boston Celtics have been doing pretty well on the sporting side, they had a great season and are currently ranked third in the NBA. Though it may seem like the Celtics have dropped a little in their financial strength to be 5th on our list when compared to previous years, this is because they spent over $100 million renovating their home grounds TD Garden, adding an extra 500 seats to their stadium.

With tickets selling out in every match since the renovations took place, the financial growth of the team has gone up a further 11%. ComCast, JetBlue Airways, Boston Scientific, General Electric and Ticketmaster, all have sponsorship deals with the Celtics all of which helps maintain a steady flow of revenue. The Boston Celtics are currently worth $3.1 billion.

4. Chicago Bulls – $3.2 Billion

Losing 70% of their games this past season, which saw their broadcast ratings suffer a huge decline, Minnesota’s Chicago Bulls will be looking to put the 2019 season behind them. It’s not all bad with the team though, since they recently landed a $50 million deal with NBC Sports to have their matches broadcast on the TV station. Thanks in no small part to their owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who owns 50% of the TV station.

The team’s value has not depreciated at all with the club still commanding huge sums in endorsements from the likes of AT&T, Lexus, American Express, United Airlines, KIA and Coca-Cola. The Chicago Bulls are currently worth $3.2 billion, and they come in at number 4.

3. Golden State Warriors – $4.3 Billion

Taking advantage of the team’s more than impressive performance in the past 4 seasons, which saw them win 3 of the last 4 NBA titles. The opening of the Chase Arena has added more than $2 billion from sponsors, ticket sales and luxury suites to the team’s already impressive portfolio, the team’s new home grounds have been their biggest moneymaker. The 2019 season on-court performances may not have been a good one by the team’s already lofty standards, yet the 2019 season saw tremendous financial growth and became their best season from a financial point of view. The team is currently worth $4.3 billion and they take the 3rd spot on our list.

2. Los Angeles Lakers – $4.4 Billion

The LA Lakers failed to reach the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season even after signing Lebron as a free agent. This is an all-time low for the Lakers considering the fact that they only failed to reach the playoffs in just 5 seasons out of the previous 65 seasons before the last five. The signing of Anthony Davis in the summer alongside the incredible Lebron James could usher in a new era for the club.

The business side of the franchise has been flourishing. Their long time sponsor Delta Airlines recently signed a contract extension with the team. Other major sponsors include Budweiser, Staples, Verizon wireless, American Express, Nike and Wish. With a current net worth of $4.4 billion, the Lakers are definitely still one of the top franchise in the NBA.

1. New York Knicks – $4.6 Billion

Holding top spot in the most valuable NBA team list for the third consecutive year is the New York Knicks, currently worth a whopping $4.6 billion. The sporting side of the franchise is just plain awful. They have only made it to the finals twice in the last 46 years, and the second time they made it to the playoffs was 20 years ago. Yet the franchise has shown that you really don’t need a great team to have tremendous financial success in the NBA.

Their home grounds the ‘Madison Square Garden’ has been a consistent moneymaker for the franchise with consistent ticket sales despite their poor performances. They also have a host of sponsors including JP Morgan Chase, Lexus, Delta Airlines, PepsiCo, Kia Motors and a host of others.

The Complete Forbes’ 2020 NBA Team Valuations

S/NNBA TeamValue/Worth(%) 1Yr Change
1New York Knicks$4.6 billion▴15
2Los Angeles Lakers$4.4 billion▴19
3Golden State Warriors$4.3 billion▴23
4Chicago Bulls$3.2 billion▴10
5Boston Celtics$3.1 billion▴11
6Los Angeles Clippers$2.6 billion▴18
7Brooklyn Nets$2.5 billion▴6
8Houston Rockets$2.475 billion▴8
9Dallas Mavericks$2.4 billion▴7
10Toronto Raptors$2.1 billion▴2
11Philadelphia 76ers$2 billion▴21
12Miami Heat$1.95 billion▴11
13Portland Trail Blazers$1.85 billion▴16
14San Antonio Spurs$1.8 billion▴11
15Sacramento Kings$1.775 billion▴13
16Washington Wizards$1.75 billion▴13
17Phoenix Suns$1.625 billion▴8
18Denver Nuggets$1.6 billion▴16
19Milwaukee Bucks$1.58 billion▴17
20Oklahoma City Thunder$1.575 billion▴7
21Utah Jazz$1.55 billion▴9
22Indiana Pacers$1.525 billion▴9
23Atlanta Hawks$1.52 billion▴17
24Cleveland Cavaliers$1.51 billion▴18
25Charlotte Hornets$1.5 billion▴20
26Detroit Pistons$1.45 billion▴14
27Orlando Magic$1.43 billion▴8
28Minnesota Timberwolves$1.375 billion▴9
29New Orleans Pelicans$1.35 billion▴11
30Memphis Grizzlies$1.3 billion▴8
S/NNBA TeamValue/Worth(%) 1Yr Change
Compiled from Forbes‘ SportsMoney

SEE MORE: Richest NBA Players

Background

The game of basketball has certainly become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. With over 825 million fans all over the world, Basketball falls a little below the top 5 most played and most watched sport in the world, with Soccer, Cricket, Tennis, Volleyball and Table Tennis taking the top 5 rankings. But with a global market value of over $90 billion, the game of basketball comes second only to soccer’s $600 billion market value.

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