The two most valuable NBA teams are two that haven’t seen a lot of success on the court of late. However, they are in the country’s two biggest markets – New York and Los Angeles, so that gives them a boost. The New York Knicks are the most valuable team in the NBA for the second year in a row. The team is worth $3.3 billion, a 10% increase over last year. Even though the Knicks haven’t made the playoffs since 2013, they are benefitting from the $1 billion Madison Square Garden renovation, which added upgraded seating options and sponsorship opportunities to the team’s bottom line, and the new local cable deal. That deal brought in $100 million in its first year. The Knicks reported a profit of $141 million last season despite their dismal 32-50 record on the court. On the other coast, the Los Angeles Lakers are worth $3 billion – an 11% increase from last year. The Lakers had the worst season in franchise history, but that didn’t hurt their bottom line. Fans turned out in droves to watch Kobe Bryant’s final season. The Lakers continue to sell out Staples Center. The primo courtside seats run celebrities and LA’s movers and shakers a cool $2,750 per game. The team sold $1.2 million worth of Kobe Bryant merchandise at the Staples Center during his final came alone. That is a sales record for a single day. The Lakers reported $119 million in profit. The 10 most valuable NBA teams have seen their values sky rocket over the past few years, thanks to the nearly unlimited growth potential of the NBA’s revenue streams. Television revenues, changes in ownership, new venues to play in, and merchandising all contribute to the sky-high value of the ten Most Valuable NBA Teams. #10. Miami Heat Value: $1.35 billion Revenue: $210 million Owner: Micky Arison #9. Dallas Mavericks Value: $1.54 billion Revenue: $194 million Owner: Mark Cuban #8. Houston Rockets Value: $1.65 billion Revenue: $244 million Owner: Leslie Alexander #7. Brooklyn Nets Value: $1.8 billion Revenue: $223 million Owner: Mikhail Prokhorov #6. Los Angeles Clippers Value: $2 billion Revenue: $185 million Owner: Steve Ballmer #5. Boston Celtics Value: $2.2 billion Revenue: $200 million Owner: H. Irving Grousbeck, Wycliffe Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca #4. Chicago Bulls Value: $2.5 billion Revenue: $232 million Owner: Jerry Reinsdorf #3. Golden State Warriors Value: $2.6 billion Revenue: $305 million Owner: Joseph Lacob, Peter Guber #2. Los Angeles Lakers Value: $3 billion Revenue: $333 million Owner: Buss Family Trust, Philip Anschutz, Edward Roski, Patrick Soon-Shiong #1. New York Knicks Value: $3.3 billion Revenue: $376 million Owner: James Dolan
