The Boston Celtics remain among the NBA’s elite teams when it comes to the business of professional basketball.
Forbes Magazine on Wednesday released its annual list of NBA franchise values, and the Celtics are slotted at No. 4 for the second consecutive year. Forbes values the Celtics at $2.1 billion, a $500 million increase from last year’s estimate.
The New York Knicks ($3 billion), Los Angeles Lakers ($2.7 billion) and Chicago Bulls ($2.3 billion) are the three most valuable NBA franchises, according to Forbes. The top three are the same as last year, but the Knicks leapfrogged the Lakers for the No. 1 spot, on the strength of their new local TV deal and the cash cow that is Madison Square Garden.
The factors driving Knicks’ increase are common around the league. Forbes pegs the average value of an NBA team at $1.25 billion. This figure represents a 13 percent increase over the 2015 average.
The Forbes valuations aren’t exact, but they demonstrate the soaring values of NBA teams in the era of LeBron James, Steph Curry and other modern-day superstars.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
