What is the most valuable franchise in NBA right now?

Despite suffering a major financial hit because of the COVID-19 pandemic, NBA franchises have managed to turn 2020 into a profitable year. In fact, three NBA teams have crossed the 5 billion USD mark in terms of valuation, which shows the global reach and impact of the league. We look at the five most valuable NBA franchises, with the likes of the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls making the list.

The New York Knicks are the most valuable franchise in the NBA

New York Knicks v Cleveland Cavaliers

As per sports data website Sportico, the New York Knicks are the NBA’s most valuable franchise and are valued at $5.42 billion, despite posting a losing record over 16 of the last 19 seasons.

Following the Knicks are the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs are valued at $5.21 billion, and have seen a lot of success in the last decade. The LA Lakers round off the Top 3, with a valuation of over 5 billion as well, although the exact figure is not known.

Indiana Pacers v Golden State Warriors

The New York Knicks are one of the most criticized franchises in the NBA and their owner James Dolan has caught a lot of flak from experts and fans alike in recent times.

The criticism stems from his nonchalant attitude towards the team, which has seen the Knicks constantly underachieve despite having enormous resources.

The average NBA franchise is now worth $2.1 billion, up 14% and outpacing the gains of the NFL and MLB

— Forbes (@Forbes) February 11, 2020

On the other hand, a direct correlation between team success and value can be seen in the case of the Golden State Warriors and LA Lakers. The Warriors won three championships in the last decade, as their front office managed to unite Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, two of the greatest players of this era.

The LA Lakers won last year's title, and are historically one of the most coveted franchises, which makes them an obvious inclusion in this list. In early 2020, some reports suggested the Lakers were the second most valuable franchise in the league, although the latest updates suggest they have fallen to third.

The Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics, who are both based in big market locations, are placed at the fourth and fifth spots respectively.

#NewYorkForever is the most valuable NBA franchise, per @Forbes, at $4.6 billion.2 #Lakeshow $4.4B3 #DubNation $4.3B4 #BullsNation $3.2B5 #Celtics $3.1B6-30: https://t.co/9VxBjswaYp

— Chris Crouse 🏙 (@NBACrouse) February 11, 2020