The Golden State Warriors again reign supreme as the NBA’s most valuable franchise. According to the latest Forbes evaluation, the Warriors sit on top as they are valued at $11 billion, as they edge out the Los Angeles Lakers. who sit at $10 billion.
1. Golden State Warriors — $11.0 Billion (2nd in the world)
2. Los Angeles Lakers – $10.0 Billion (5th in the world)
3. New York Knicks – $9.75 Billion (6th in the world)
4. Los Angeles Clippers — $7.5 Billion (15th in the world)
5. Boston Celtics – $6.7 Billion (21st in the world)
6. Chicago Bulls – $6 Billion (34th in the world)
7. Houston Rockets – $5.9 Billion (37th in the world)
8. Miami Heat – $5.7 Billion (40th in the world)
9. Brooklyn Nets – $5.6 Billion (43rd in the world)
10. Philadelphia 76ers – $5.45 Billion (43rd in the world)
For the Warriors, this moment reflects more than recent championships. It captures a decade-long rise that is built on sustained excellences which includes four NBA titles. The rise of Stephen Curry as the face of the NBA and a global fan base are also major factors in their evaluation.
Forbes ranks the Warruors as the second most valuable sports franchise in the world, only behind the Dallas Cowboys. This puts the Warriors ahead of global soccer giants such as Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Barcelona.
The Lakers still remain one of the most powerful brands in sports, and their recent sale only reinforces that reality. The team was recently purchased at a $10 billion valuation by Mark Walter, marking the largest sports transaction in history. Even with the latest sale, they are still behind the Warriors.
Behimd then are the New York Knicks, valued at $9.75 billion and ranked sixth globally. The Knicks continue to benefit from Madison Square Garden, market size, and a brand that remains powerful even without long playoff runs. Rounding out the NBA’s upper tier are the Los Angeles Clippers at $7.5 billion and the Boston Celtics at $6.7 billion.
The rest of the top ten includes the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, and the Philadelphia 76ers. All sit comfortably above $5 billion, a number that once felt unimaginable for NBA franchises.
Zooming out, the Warriors’ rise mirrors a larger boom across sports. Forbes estimates the top 50 teams worldwide are now worth a combined $353 billion, with average values jumping sharply year over year. Media rights remain the main driver. The NBA’s 11-year broadcast deals with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime, worth $77 billio,n reshaped the financial ceiling, delivering billions more into team revenues. When league income rises, team prices follow.
Recent sales also reset expectations. Steve Ballmer’s Clippers purchase in 2014 changed how NBA teams were priced overnight, and the Lakers and Celtics deals are doing something similar now. Each sale becomes the new reference point, nudging every other franchise upward.
Even with that growth, the Warriors standing above the Lakers still feels like a shift in gravity. Golden State went from afterthought to global powerhouse within one era, powered by titles, star appeal, and timing. The Lakers remain iconic, yet the numbers now say something different. For the first time, the NBA’s financial crown belongs firmly in the Bay.
