This Market Business News information article provides a ranking of the most valuable NBA teams.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded in 1946 and it is currently the richest basketball league in the world.
The average NBA player earns a yearly salary of 4.2 million USD.
But what about the teams, how much are they worth? And which ones are the most valuable NBA teams?
There are a total of thirty teams that are part of the NBA, below is a list of the top 15 most valuable NBA teams in terms of their total estimated value, according to data gathered by Forbes:
15. Orlando Magic
Established in 1989, Orlando Magic plays at the Amway Center in downtown Orlando.
Estimated value: 560 million USD
Revenue: 139 million USD
Operating income: 12.3 million USD
Division titles: five (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010) – Conference titles: two (1995, 2009) – Championships: none
14. Phoenix Suns
The Suns have played at the US Airways Center located in downtown Phoenix since 1992. The arena is often called the “Purple Palace” because it has purple seats, also one of the colors of the team.
Estimated value: 565 million USD
Revenue: 137 million USD
Operating income: 28.2 million USD
Division titles: six (1981, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2007) – Conference titles: two (1976, 1993) – Championships: none
13. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers play at the Staples Center, which they share with rivals the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as other sports teams. It was founded as the Buffalo Braves in 1970, and moved to San Diego, California in 1978 (San Diego Clippers). In 1984, the team moved to Los Angeles.
Estimated value: 575 million USD
Revenue: 125 million USD
Operating income: 15.0 million USD
Division titles: one (2013) – Conference titles: none – Championships: none
12. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers used to play at the Memorial Coliseum and then moved to the Moda Center in 1995. The team entered the league in 1970. From 1977 to the end of 1995 they sold out 814 successive games.
Estimated value: 587 million USD
Revenue: 140 million USD
Operating income: 30.0 million USD
Division titles: four (1978, 1991, 1992, 1999) – Conference titles: three (1977, 1990, 1992) – Championships: one (1977)
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder was founder in 1967 and was formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics. The team plays at the Chesapeake Energy Arena located in downtown Oklahoma City.
Estimated value: 590 million USD
Revenue: 144 million USD
Operating income: 33.3 million USD
Division titles: nine (1979, 1994, 1996, 1997,1998, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013) – Conference titles: four (1978, 1979, 1996, 2012) – Championships: one (1979)
10. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs is the only former ABA team to have won an NBA championship. They play at the AT&T Center.
Estimated value: 660 million USD
Revenue: 167 million USD
Operating income: 39.4 million USD
Division titles: nineteen (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2012) – Conference titles: five (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013) – Championships: four (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)
9. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are based in Oakland, California. The team started off in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, after which it moved to San Francisco as the San Francisco Warriors. In 1971 it changed to the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors play at the Oracle Arena
Estimated value: 750 million USD
Revenue: 160 million USD
Operating income: 43.0 million USD
Division titles: two (1975, 1976) – Conference titles: six (1947, 1948, 1956, 1964, 1967, 1975) – Championships: two (1956, 1975)
8. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs were established in 1980. It has sold out in 477 successive games since December 2010, the longest sellout streak in any sport in North America. They play at the American Airlines center.
Estimated value: 765 million USD
Revenue: 162 million USD
Operating income: 37.5 million USD
Division titles: three (1987, 2007, 2010) – Conference titles: two (2006, 2011) – Championships: one (2011)
7. Miami Heat
The Heat plays at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Their mascot is Burnie, a fireball with human characteristics. The Heat was established in 1988.
Estimated value: 770 million USD
Revenue: 188 million USD
Operating income: 29.2 million USD
Division titles: ten (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012,2013) – Conference titles: four (2006, 2011, 2012, 2013) – Championships: three (2006, 2012, 2013)
6. Houston Rockets
Established in 1967, the Rockets started off in San Diego, California, where they played for four years before moving to Houston, Texas.
Estimated value: 775 million USD
Revenue: 191 million USD
Operating income: 63.7 million USD
Division titles: four (1977, 1986, 1993, 1994) – Conference titles: four (1981, 1986, 1994, 1995) – Championships: two (1994, 1995)
5. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets is an original American Basketball Association (ABA) member and was founded in 1967. It started off in New Jersey as the New Jersey Americans, then moved to Long Island as the New York Nets. It then returned to New Jersey and became the New Jersey Nets.
Following thirty-five seasons in New Jersey, the team went back to the state of New York (2012) to play as the Brooklyn Nets in the new Barclays Center.
Estimated value: 780 million USD
Revenue: 190 million USD
Operating income: -19.0 million USD
Division titles: four (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006) – Conference titles: two (2002, 2003) – Championships: none
4. Boston Celtics
The Celtics was founded in 1946. It is one of eight NBA teams to survive the league’s first ten years, out of a total of 23 teams. They play at the TD Garden, which is shared with the Boston Bruins (National Hockey League).
Estimated value: 875 million USD
Revenue: 169 million USD
Operating income: 46.8 million USD
Division titles: twenty-one – Conference titles: twenty-one Championships: seventeen (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961,1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966,1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981,1984, 1986, 2008)
3. Chicago Bulls
Founded in 1966, The Chicago Bulls play at the United Center (the Madhouse of Madison).
It is the only NBA team to win multiple championships and not lose an NBA Final in its history.
Estimated value: 1,000 million USD
Revenue: 195 million USD
Operating income: 52.2 million USD
Division titles: nine – Conference titles: six – Championships: six (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996,1997, 1998)
2. Los Angeles Lakers
They play their home games at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, which they share with the Los Angeles Clippers (a rival), the Los Angeles Sparks (of the WNBA) and the Los Angeles Kings (of the NHS).
The team started off in Minneapolis in 1947 as the Minneapolis Lakers, the result of the purchase of the Detroit Gems of the NBL, a disbanded team.
Estimated value: 1,350 million USD
Revenue: 295 million USD
Operating income: 66.4 million USD
Division titles: twenty-three – Conference titles: thirty-one – Championships: sixteen (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953,1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985,1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002,2009, 2010)
1. New York Knicks (Knickerbockers)
The team was established in 1946 by Ned Irish and is one of the Basketball Association of America’s (BAA) founding members. The BAA eventually became the NBA.
Estimated value: 1,400 million USD
Revenue: 287 million USD
Operating income: 96.3 million USD
Division titles: five – Conference titles: eight – Championships: two (1970, 1973)
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