The Most Valuable NBA Teams 2026

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0:56Today on Forbes, the most valuable NBA teams 2026. NBA teams don't come up for sale often. Two-thirds of the league's control owners have been in place for at least a decade. That's one big reason why it was such a surprise that August featured two quick flips. First, Mark Walter agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger only about 10 months after his purchase of the franchise had closed. And then, barely a week later, Minnesota Timberwolves limited partner Mark Stadd reached an agreement to buy out Mark Lurie, 14 months after the retail billionaire had officially taken over.

1:41Both deals still await approval by the NBA's Board of Governors. But assuming the deals close without incident, as expected, it will mean a tidy return for the sellers. Lori, who first agreed to buy the Timberwolves and the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx in 2021, in a multi-stage transaction with an enterprise value of$1.5 billion, got$4.5 billion for the two clubs, a 25 % annual return, even when measured from the initial agreement. Walter, who was under federal investigation over loans made between his other businesses, matched that return by raising the price of the Lakers from$10 billion to$12.5 billion in less than a year.

2:27That's just life in the NBA, where valuations are as high-flying as a breakaway dunk. On our team valuations list this year, the Golden State Warriors reign as basketball's most valuable team for the fifth straight year at an estimated$13.5 billion, up 23 % from 2025. The reigning NBA champions, the New York Knicks, are number two at$12.6 billion, a 29 % year-over-year increase that pushes them back ahead of the Lakers on Forbes' financial leaderboard after they traded places last year. Only two teams from any other sport in the world are worth as much as the NBA's top three clubs, the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, worth$17 billion, and Los Angeles Rams, worth$13.5 billion.

3:19The Los Angeles Clippers, meanwhile, are now valued at$7.8 billion, number four in the NBA, despite a severe punishment for salary cap violations that will hamper the club's ability to compete for the next several seasons. In all, the league's 30 franchises are worth an average of$6.1 billion, rising 14 % from last year's$5.4 billion and 147 % from 2021's$2.5 billion. Every team is valued at$4 billion or more, with the league's get-in price soaring 167 % in the same five-year span, from$1.5 billion. A string of recent sales gives credence to those figures. In addition to the Lakers and the Timberwolves, an unusually active market has seen five other teams change hands in the past four years.

4:15That includes Tom Dundon's purchase of the Portland Trailblazers in a two-part deal that was approved in April, with a blended valuation reportedly around$4.25 billion. There has also been the usual rumble of minority transactions, such as private equity firm Blue Owl's July deal for a piece of the Cleveland Cavaliers at a valuation of$5.5 billion, according to Sportico. The investors are being drawn by robust growth in the NBA's business. According to Forbes estimates, league-wide revenue approached$14 billion during the 2025-26 regular season, including money generated from non-NBA events at teams' arenas, a 12 % year-over-year increase in the first season of the league's 11-year,$76 billion national broadcast package.

5:07Local media is an area of greater concern. The collapse of regional sports network operator Main Street Sports Group robbed 16 NBA teams of their homes on local television in recent years, jeopardizing tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue. As a result, the teams have been scrambling to find replacement options. According to Forbes estimates, the 16 clubs pocketed an average of$13 million from their local media rights in 2025-26, down from$40 million in 2023-24. The league is taking that threat seriously, hiring NESN chief operating officer Matt Volk to oversee local media in an executive position created this year, and reportedly aiming to bundle together at least 20 teams' rights in a streaming hub for the 2027-28 season.

5:59The NBA's 30 existing clubs could also be in line for some eye-popping one-time payments in the form of expansion fees. Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league will decide whether and where it will move forward with adding teams by the end of this year. As it explores placing new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle, reports have suggested the Sin City bidding could reach$9 billion or even$10 billion, not including the cost of a new arena. For full coverage and to see the whole list, check out Justin Teitelbaum and Brett Knight's piece on Forbes.com. This is Kieran Meadows from Forbes. Thanks for tuning in.

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