Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Warriors, Lakers Top 2025 NBA Franchise Valuations

October 16th, 2025 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors are still the NBA’s most valuable team, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, who unveiled the website’s updated NBA franchise valuations for 2025 on Thursday.

Badenhausen projects the Warriors’ value at $11.33 billion, which represents an incredible 24% increase from last year’s $9.14 billion valuation. The NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, at $12.8 billion, continue to be the only global sports franchise whose valuation comes in higher than Golden State’s, according to Sportico’s projections.

As Badenhausen outlines, the Warriors lead the NBA in revenue by a significant margin, having generated an estimated $833MM last season. Golden State makes more than $5MM per game in ticket revenue, along with $2.5MM from luxury suites; the club also has a $45MM per year jersey patch deal with Rakuten, earns almost double what any other team makes in sponsorship revenue, and is one of the few teams to fully own and operate its arena, per Sportico.

After placing third a year ago, the Lakers have jumped to second place on Sportico’s 2025 list at $10 billion, based on Mark Walter‘s recent agreement to purchase the team at that valuation. The Lakers moved slightly ahead of the third-place Knicks, who come in at $9.85 billion.

Every team’s valuation has increased by at least 9% since last year, per Sportico, with the average value of an NBA franchise now at $5.51 billion (up 20% from 2024) and no team worth less than $4 billion.

The average valuation has more than doubled since 2022, when it was $2.58 billion. As Badenhausen writes, the NBA’s new $76 billion media rights deal and its global ambitions – including the possible creation of a league in Europe – have played a part in those gains.

Although the Warriors’ $833MM is something out of an outlier, NBA teams generated an average of approximately $408MM in revenue last season, according to Badenhausen, with the Grizzlies coming in last at $301MM. Memphis also ranks 30th on Sportico’s list of franchise values.

Despite placing at the bottom of this list, the Grizzlies actually had the most significant increase in their franchise valuation this past year, rising from $3.06 billion to $4 billion (31%). The Pelicans (30%), Timberwolves (29%), and Eastern Conference champion Pacers (27%) were the other biggest risers.

Of course, it’s worth noting that figures from Sportico or any other media outlet are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands. But these projections are usually in the right ballpark and remain useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.

Here’s Sportico’s full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2025:

Golden State Warriors: $11.33 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $10 billion
New York Knicks: $9.85 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $6.72 billion
Boston Celtics: $6.35 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $6.22 billion
Chicago Bulls: $6.12 billion
Miami Heat: $6.03 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $5.61 billion
Houston Rockets: $5.53 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $5.24 billion
Toronto Raptors: $5.22 billion
Phoenix Suns: $5.09 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $5.02 billion
Sacramento Kings: $5 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $4.86 billion
Denver Nuggets: $4.8 billion
Washington Wizards: $4.78 billion
Indiana Pacers: $4.76 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $4.54 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $4.5 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $4.34 billion
Utah Jazz: $4.27 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $4.25 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $4.24 billion
Orlando Magic: $4.21 billion
Detroit Pistons: $4.17 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $4.13 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $4.02 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $4 billion

As Badenhausen notes, Sportico’s projections are based on a control sale price, rather than limited stake purchases. Controlling shares in the Celtics, Lakers, and Trail Blazers all changed hands this past year, though only the Celtics sale has been formally approved by the NBA so far.

William Chisholm is buying the Celtics in two stages, with an initial valuation of $6.1 billion and a blended valuation of roughly $6.5 billion. Walter is purchasing the Lakers at a valuation of $10 billion, while Tom Dundon is buying the Blazers at a $4.25 billion valuation.

Hawks’ Smith, Nuggets’ Akinjo, Nets’ Smith Waived

October 15th, 2025 at 9:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

A trio of camp invitees around the league have been waived, according to the NBA.com transaction log: Deivon Smith (Hawks), Malachi Smith (Nets), and James Akinjo (Nuggets).

Deivon Smith was a five-year college player who started his career at Mississippi State and ended it at St. John’s. A 6’1″ guard, he averaged 9.3 points and 3.9 assists for St. John’s after transferring from Utah.

Akinjo is also a 6’1″ guard. He played for Georgetown for two seasons, then Arizona, before playing his senior season at Baylor, where he averaged 13.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. He played last season with the Wisconsin Herd in the G League, averaging 15.7 PPG and 8.2 APG on 41.3% shooting from three.

Malachi Smith signed his deal with the Nets on Tuesday. He has been a G League mainstay since going undrafted in 2023, playing last season for the Grizzlies’ affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. Keith Smith of Spotrac notes (via Twitter) that Smith got a $42,650 partial guarantee in his deal, which was designed to help the Nets stay over the minimum salary floor.

All three players are likely to report their teams’ G League affiliates. Deivon Smith and Akinjo would earn Exhibit 10 bonuses worth $25,00 and $85,300, respectively, if they spend at least 60 days in the NBAGL.

And-Ones: Core Trios, MVP, Hayward, NBA App

October 15th, 2025 at 11:04am CST by Rory Maher

Tim Bontemps of ESPN ranks the core trios of every NBA team based on their current and future value. Unsurprisingly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren of the defending champion Thunder sit atop Bontemps’ tiered list, followed by the Nuggets trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.

Bontemps’ final tier (“rebuilding”) is comprised of the Nets (Nic Claxton, Egor Demin, Nolan Traore), Trail Blazers (Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe), Jazz (Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton, Lauri Markkanen), and Wizards (Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr).

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Using six categories (narrative score, expected ridiculous stats score, team quality score, clutch score, player impact score, and perceived value score), Zach Harper of The Athletic takes a stab at predicting who will win the NBA’s MVP award in 2025/26. Jokic, who was the runner-up last season, earns the most points (55/60), followed by reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander (50/60) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (50/60), who finished third in voting last season. However, Harper’s “gut” says Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (45/60) will claim his first MVP.
Former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward, who retired last summer after a 14-year career in the league, is returning to his alma mater in a new role. According to a Butler press release written by John Dedman, Hayward will be an executive basketball advisor for the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball program. In addition to advising in multiple areas, Hayward will also serve as a mentor to student-athletes, with a focus on leadership and professional development.
The NBA announced in a press release that it has launched a new multi-platform streaming offering as well as the “reimagined” NBA TV, both of which can be accessed via the NBA App. There’s also a new flagship program on NBA TV and the NBA App called “The Association,” which features MJ Acosta-Ruiz, David Fizdale, Rudy Gay, Chris Haynes and John Wall, among others.

Nuggets Sign James Akinjo To Exhibit 10 Contract

October 14th, 2025 at 8:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have made an addition to their preseason roster, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac, who tweets that free agent point guard James Akinjo has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the team.

Akinjo, 24, has been playing in the G League since going undrafted in 2022, spending time with the Westchester Knicks, Stockton Kings, and Wisconsin Herd. In 41 games last season for the Herd, Milwaukee’s NBAGL affiliate, the former Baylor standout averaged 14.6 points, 7.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 33.6 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .403/.361/.844.

Denver’s affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, made a trade with Wisconsin in August to acquire Akinjo’s returning rights. As we noted at the time, it was a strong signal that the Nuggets would sign the 6’1″ guard to an Exhibit 10 deal at some point in order to ensure he receives a bonus for playing with the Gold.

Akinjo, who figures to be waived in the coming days, will be able to earn that bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Nuggets’ G League team. It can be worth up to $85,300.

Denver had a pair of open spots on its 21-man preseason roster after waiving Terrence Hargrove Jr. and Coleman Hawkins last week, so no corresponding move was necessary to make room for Akinjo. The club now has 20 players under contract.

Wizards Notes: Sarr, Vukcevic, McCollum, Watkins

October 11th, 2025 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Five talent evaluators from around the NBA spoke to Josh Robbins of The Athletic about what to expect from Wizards big man Alex Sarr and none of those sources expect the former No. 2 overall pick to develop into the best or second-best player on a contender, according to Robbins.

One scout questioned whether Sarr will become a reliable enough outside shooter to qualify as a stretch big man, while another suggested the seven-footer will have to bulk up and become more imposing physically in order to maximize his potential as a rim protector. “He weighs less than some of the bigger wings and forwards that are starting in the NBA,” that scout said.

Still, multiple sources who talked to Robbins are optimistic about Sarr’s ability to build on what he showed during his rookie season and to continue making strides toward becoming a reliable starting center.

“I would be surprised if he doesn’t take a big leap this year, and that big leap will be being effective on the floor and trying to impact the team outcome as opposed to impacting his individual outcome,” one evaluator told Robbins. “There’s still a lot (of untapped potential) as to what he could be. It was probably a slower start than maybe the general fan would hope for. But I think by the end of (last) season, he had been put in a position to succeed, and we’re going to see more of that built on this season. We’re going to see it start to pay dividends this season.”

Here’s more on Sarr and the Wizards:

Sarr, who sustained a left calf injury during the EuroBasket tournament, told reporters on Saturday that he expects to be available to play in Washington’ preseason opener on Sunday after spending the past week ramping up, tweets Robbins. The Wizards will be taking on the Raptors, who have Alex’s brother Olivier Sarr on their roster on an Exhibit 10 deal. It will be the first time the brothers play one another in an organized game, according to the Wizards center (Twitter video link via Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network).
Representing Serbia at EuroBasket, Wizards big man Tristan Vukcevic got the chance to team up with three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. As Hughes writes for Monumental Sports Network, Vukcevic said he was inspired by how hard the Nuggets star practices and paid close attention to specific aspects of Jokic’s game that he hopes to emulate. “Just seeing him in the short roll and how he reads – is he going to finish or pass to the corner – with those reads it helped me a lot being with him,” Vukcevic said. “Hopefully I can translate.”
In a conversation with Hughes, Wizards guard CJ McCollum shared his early impressions on Wizards rookies Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Jamir Watkins. While he shared positive feedback on all three players, McCollum notably spoke at length about Watkins, describing the second-round pick as a potential “lock-down” defender capable of guarding positions one through five. “He asks questions about defense. He was in the cold tub yesterday asking me about Herb Jones and what makes him such a good defender,” McCollum said. “He was asking me how he got to that point. I was telling him that he cares. He watches film, he makes the extra effort, and the body type matches. He’s got a good body – 6-foot-5, 6-foot-6 with long arms, quick enough to guard ones, strong enough to guard threes and fours. He can probably switch onto some fives and then it’s 3-and-D. The league loves that.”

Northwest Notes: Williams, Sharpe, Nuggets, Bailey

October 10th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Thunder forward Jalen Williams, who is making his way back from surgery to address a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, still isn’t shooting jumpers with that right hand, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link).

The Thunder have been cagey about Williams’ recovery timeline and haven’t indicated whether or not they expect him to available when their regular season begins later this month. Asked about Williams’ status on Thursday, head coach Mark Daigneault declined to offer any specifics.

“He’s progressing on a normal timeline,” Daigneault said (YouTube link). “… He’s where he should be.”

We have more from around the Northwest:

Amid rumors that he could command a rookie scale extension worth north of $100MM over four years, Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe kicked off the preseason in impressive fashion on Wednesday, scoring 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and grabbing six rebounds in just 23 minutes of action. “He just looked very under control at all times,” head coach Chauncey Billups said of Sharpe, per Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link). “Got to where he wanted to get to. I thought defensively, he was good. He went in and got some really good rebounds for us. I think Shaedon can be an exceptional rebounder with his physical gifts. He played a good game.”
Nuggets newcomer Cameron Johnson has played a pretty modest offensive role in his first two preseason games with the team, scoring just 13 points on nine total shot attempts. Head coach David Adelman isn’t worried about that, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post relays. “We’re just getting him comfortable,” Adelman said on Thursday. “And Cam is one of those guys that plays for his teammates sometimes instead of force-feeding himself into the action. … We’ve gotta get him to his right hand more. I haven’t put in pet plays for him yet. But we’ll get there for sure. He’s a really special player in that you can plug and play him in a lot of ways.”
In a separate story for The Denver Post, Durando spoke to some of Bruce Brown‘s former coaches to get a sense of why he and the Nuggets have been such a perfect match for one another. Durando also reports within the story that Brown drew interest this offseason from the Lakers and Suns, among other teams, before agreeing to return to Denver.
The Jazz lost to Houston in their preseason opener on Wednesday, but rookie forward Ace Bailey poured in 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting while also chipping in six rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals. Rockets forward Kevin Durant was among those who came away impressed by the No. 5 overall pick, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. “Dynamic player. I think he’s going to be a hell of a player,” Durant said. “I love the coaching staff that he’s with. I love that he got drafted to Utah; they’ve got a good development program over there that I’m looking forward to seeing how he progresses. I’m expecting a big year from him and a big career.”

Fischer’s Latest: Braun, M. Williams, Kessler, Markkanen, Love

October 10th, 2025 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

As was the case a year ago, some of the players eligible for rookie scale extensions this fall are seeking new deals with an average annual value of $30MM, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

One of those players, Fischer writes, is Nuggets wing Christian Braun. League sources who have spoken to Fischer suggest that the low end of an extension for Braun could be in the neighborhood of $25MM annually.

Braun, 24, made a strong case for a lucrative new contract in his first season as a full-time starter in 2024/25, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 33.9 minutes per game. All of those numbers were career highs, as were his shooting percentages of 58.0% from the floor, 39.7% on three-pointers, and 82.7% from the free throw line.

While Braun is a viable candidate for a new deal ahead of the October 20 deadline, teammate Peyton Watson appears unlikely to be extended before the season, according to Fischer, who explains that Denver’s cap and tax situation going forward will make the club reluctant to lock in too many role players on guaranteed multiyear deals.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Suns aren’t considered likely to work out a rookie scale extension with center Mark Williams this month, Fischer reports. Sources tell The Stein Line that Phoenix would prefer to continue evaluating Williams during the 2025/26 season and see whether he can have a healthier year after not playing more than 44 games in any of his first three NBA seasons. The big man would be a restricted free agent next summer.
Confirming a prior report from The Athletic, Fischer writes that the Jazz and Walker Kessler have no momentum toward a rookie scale extension and that the young center is expected to become a restricted free agent in 2026. Not extending Kessler now would also make him easier to trade during the season if Utah decides to go in that direction. The Lakers have repeatedly been identified as a team with interest, and Fischer hears the Suns eyed Kessler before trading for Williams in June.
While the Jazz remain open to listening to inquiries on Lauri Markkanen, they’re not actively looking to move the standout forward, says Fischer. In the short term, Kevin Love is the more obvious trade candidate in Utah, Fischer continues, observing that Love’s 20-minute stint in Wednesday’s preseason opener had teams wondering if the Jazz were trying to showcase him for potential suitors. While I’d be surprised if Utah is able to get anything for Love on the trade market, finding a team willing to sign him to a minimum-salary contract could benefit the Jazz, since he’d be more inclined to give up money in a buyout if he has a new destination lined up.

Nuggets Sign, Waive Terrence Hargrove Jr., Coleman Hawkins

October 9th, 2025 at 5:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

October 9: Denver has waived both Hargrove and Hawkins, according to the NBA’s official transaction log. They’re now set up to join the Grand Rapids Gold.

October 8: The Nuggets have signed Terrence Hargrove Jr. and Coleman Hawkins to Exhibit 10 contracts, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

Hargrove, a 6’4″ wing, played for Denver in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in three games. He went undrafted out of St. Louis in 2024 after spending five seasons with the Billikens.

Hawkins is a 6’11” forward who went undrafted out of Kansas State after playing the previous four years at Illinois. A report following the draft said he was expected to go to training camp with Golden State, but that didn’t work out, although he played for the Warriors during Summer League.

Denver will acquire G League rights to both players, who will likely end up with the team’s affiliate in Grand Rapids. The Exhibit 10 contracts make them eligible for bonuses worth up to $85,300 if they spent at least 60 days with the club.

The Nuggets had been carrying 19 players on their roster, so they’re now at the 21-man preseason limit.

NBA GMs Expect Thunder To Repeat, Jokic To Win Fourth MVP

October 9th, 2025 at 3:04pm CST by Rory Maher

NBA general managers view the Thunder as the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions this season, according to the 24th annual GM survey conducted by John Schuhmann of NBA.com. GMs were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel.

Eighty percent of general managers predicted Oklahoma City to win the 2026 NBA Finals, with the Cavaliers and Nuggets tied for second at 7% each. The Rockets and Knicks were the only other teams to receive votes.

If the Thunder do go back-to-back, they would be the first repeat champions since Golden State in 2018.

Still, it’s worth noting that 83% of GMs thought Boston would win its second consecutive title in 2025 during last year’s edition of the survey, and the Celtics wound up being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is heavily favored to win his fourth award in 2025/26. The Nuggets superstar received 67% of the vote and was also tabbed as the league’s best center (maximum possible 97%), best international player (93%), best passer (80%), the player with the best basketball IQ (80%), and the player who forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments (57%).

NBA GMs view Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson as the league’s most athletic player (58%) and most versatile defender (18%), as well as the player most likely to have a breakout season (30%).

For the second straight year, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was tabbed as the best player to build a franchise around, receiving 83% of the vote. The French center was also voted the league’s best defender (80%) and tied with Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for the league’s most versatile player (30% apiece).

Unsurprisingly, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg is the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year, claiming the maximum 97% of the vote. General managers also think he’s the rookie who will be the best player five years from now (93%).

Fifty-three percent of GMs surveyed think the Hawks made the best offseason moves, while 47% believe the Magic will be the most improved team this season.

According to general managers, Milwaukee made by far the two most surprising offseason moves: waiving and stretching Damian Lillard (43%), and subsequently signing Myles Turner in free agency (30%).

Schuhmann’s survey is worth checking out in full and can be found right here.

And-Ones: Delfino, Positional Rankings, Top Storylines, More

October 8th, 2025 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on the “Doble Doble” podcast this week, former NBA forward Carlos Delfino confirmed that he is retiring as a player, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops writes.

Delfino, who turned 43 in August, was the 25th overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft and spent nine years in the league from 2004-08 and 2009-14 (he played in Russia in 2008/09). The Argentinian wing averaged 8.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 22.8 minutes per game across 507 regular season outings for the Pistons, Raptors, Bucks, and Rockets before injuries derailed his career.

Delfino eventually returned to action in Europe in 2017 and spent the next several seasons playing for non-NBA teams. A longtime international standout, he won an Olympic gold medal in Athens in 2004 as a member of the Argentina national team that upset Team USA in the semifinals, then took home a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

We have several more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Law Murray of The Athletic ranked all 30 NBA teams based on their depth charts at each position, with the Thunder (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; Cason Wallace) taking the No. 1 spot at point guard while the Timberwolves (Anthony Edwards; Terrence Shannon Jr.) sit atop the shooting guard list. The Rockets (Kevin Durant; Tari Eason), Bucks (Giannis Antetokounmpo; Bobby Portis), and Nuggets (Nikola Jokic; Jonas Valanciunas) ranked first at small forward, power forward, and center, respectively.
What storylines will be the biggest of the 2025/26 season? Chris Mannix of SI.com makes his predictions, including whether or not Antetokounmpo will finish the season with the Bucks, how much better the Magic will be with Desmond Bane, and whether the concept of playoff reseeding will gain any momentum based on the relative strength of the Western Conference.
An international basketball league that has been in the works for the past couple years still plans to launch in 2026, but LeBron James‘ business partner Maverick Carter is no longer involved in the venture, according to Ben Horney and Daniel Roberts of Front Office Sports. The report from Horney and Roberts provides some details on the big names who are investing in the league, including tennis star Novak Djokovic and former WNBA star Candace Parker.
John Hollinger of The Athletic‘s projections for the bottom half of the Eastern Conference in 2025/26 include the Sixers, Celtics, and Pacers finishing 10th through 12th with 37, 36, and 31 wins, respectively. However, he acknowledges that Philadelphia might have a wider range of potential outcomes than any other team in the NBA.