The Golden State Warriors remain the most valuable franchise in the NBA, with Sportico placing their 2026 valuation at a staggering $14.5 billion.
That keeps Golden State comfortably ahead of the New York Knicks, who move into second place at $12.8 billion, and the Los Angeles Lakers at $12.5 billion. The Los Angeles Clippers rank fourth at $8.21 billion, while the Chicago Bulls complete the top five at $8.13 billion.
The scale of the Warriors’ rise is especially striking. Sportico’s estimate is up 28 percent from their 2025 valuation of $11.3 billion. Golden State’s ownership group purchased the franchise for roughly $450 million in 2010, meaning the team’s estimated value has multiplied more than thirtyfold since then.
Sportico’s methodology goes beyond the basketball operation itself. Its enterprise valuations estimate what a controlling sale of each franchise could command and can include team-related businesses and real-estate interests held by ownership. The outlet says it builds those estimates from financial records, public information and interviews with people involved in NBA transactions and team finances.
The Knicks made one of the biggest jumps near the top, rising to $12.8 billion and passing the Lakers for second place. According to Sportico’s figures, New York’s valuation increased by roughly 30 percent over the past year.
The broader numbers show just how valuable NBA ownership has become. Sportico estimates the average NBA franchise is now worth $6.64 billion, up 21 percent from last year and nearly triple the $2.35 billion average from 2020. Collectively, the league’s 30 franchises are valued at approximately $199 billion.
Golden State’s financial power also reflects an unusually strong business operation. The Warriors reportedly generated $895 million in revenue after revenue sharing, while their latest jersey-patch agreement is worth more than $50 million annually.
The numbers reinforce how dramatically the economics of the NBA have changed. A decade ago, billion-dollar valuations were reserved for only a handful of elite franchises. Now even the league’s lowest-valued team, Memphis, is estimated at $4.2 billion.
And at the top, the Warriors have moved into another financial stratosphere. The franchise that once sold for $450 million is now estimated to be worth $14.5 billion, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys among the world’s most valuable sports teams in Sportico’s rankings.
