The NBA is where amazing happens. The best players on Earth go toe to toe to prove who's the biggest superstar in the league, and the NBA Finals are always a treat to watch. But it's not all that romantic.
As much as the fans love to watch these guy play, the National Basketball Association is a business and a very profitable one. Those days when the league was on the brink of collapse are far behind them.
Nowadays, NBA franchises sit at the big boys' table in terms of net worth. That's why Forbes recently updated its rankings for the most valuable teams in the NBA. Here, we listed them for you.
Forbes' Most Valuable NBA Teams In 2022
6. Los Angeles Clippers - $3.3 Billion
The Los Angeles Clippers have historically been a bottom-feeding franchise. Not only have they never won an NBA championship, but they never even reached the NBA Finals. However, they're one of the highest-valued franchises nowadays.
That all has to do with new owner Steve Ballmer taking over. He's made sure to turn the Clippers into a profitable project and is even going to give them their very own stadium. Hopefully, the rings will come shortly after.
5. Boston Celtics - $3.6 Billion
The Boston Celtics are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers as the winningest franchise in NBA history. However, unlike their lifelong rivals, most of their success came during basketball's early stages.
But even though they haven't been as dominant as of late, the Celtics continue to be one of the biggest brands in all sports. Also, their net worth will only skyrocket if they win the NBA Finals this season.
4. Chicago Bulls - $3.7 Billion
The Chicago Bulls haven't been to the NBA Finals in more than two decades, yet they're always near the top of the most valuable teams in the Association. How come? The answer is rather simple: Michael Jordan.
Jordan made the NBA global. His impact went way beyond measure, and he turned an ever-struggling franchise into one of the most popular markets all across the globe. His Airness hasn't played for them since 1999, yet his presence is still felt in the Windy City.
3. Los Angeles Lakers - $5.5 Billion
Jerry Buss was a visionary. And thanks to his vision, the Los Angeles Lakers became one of the strongest empires in sports history. Even now that he's long gone, the team is the third-most valuable franchise in the NBA.
The Lakers dominated the league from the 80s through the first decade of the 21st century. They became a worldwide brand and turned the NBA into what it is nowadays: The finest entertainment in the sports industry.
2. Golden State Warriors - $5.6 Billion
The Golden State Warriors found some success early in their history and later struggled for decades. Then, Stephen Curry came into the picture, and the Dubs Dynasty became an unstoppable sensation.
Winners of three rings in the past eight years, the Warriors have been able to pay huge luxury tax bills thanks to the massive revenue they've generated over the past decade or so. They can still be no. 1 on this list if they win the NBA Finals this season.
1. New York Knicks - $5.8 Billion
The New York Knicks have only won two championships in their history, the last of them coming in 1973. They haven't made the NBA Finals since 1999 and have been a borderline playoff team more often than not.
However, they play in the world's capital, and that's more than enough. There's no bigger sports market than New York City, thus making them the most valuable franchise in the NBA, regardless of how little success they've found on the hardwood.
