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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:

  1. Golden State Warriors: $11.33 billion
  2. Los Angeles Lakers: $10 billion
  3. New York Knicks: $9.85 billion
  4. Los Angeles Clippers: $6.72 billion
  5. Boston Celtics: $6.35 billion
  6. Brooklyn Nets: $6.22 billion
  7. Chicago Bulls: $6.12 billion
  8. Miami Heat: $6.03 billion
  9. Philadelphia 76ers: $5.61 billion
  10. Houston Rockets: $5.53 billion
  11. Dallas Mavericks: $5.24 billion
  12. Toronto Raptors: $5.22 billion
  13. Phoenix Suns: $5.09 billion
  14. Atlanta Hawks: $5.02 billion
  15. Sacramento Kings: $5 billion
  16. Cleveland Cavaliers: $4.86 billion
  17. Denver Nuggets: $4.8 billion
  18. Washington Wizards: $4.78 billion
  19. Indiana Pacers: $4.76 billion
  20. Milwaukee Bucks: $4.54 billion
  21. San Antonio Spurs: $4.5 billion
  22. Oklahoma City Thunder: $4.34 billion
  23. Utah Jazz: $4.27 billion
  24. Portland Trail Blazers: $4.25 billion
  25. Minnesota Timberwolves: $4.24 billion
  26. Orlando Magic: $4.21 billion
  27. Detroit Pistons: $4.17 billion
  28. Charlotte Hornets: $4.13 billion
  29. New Orleans Pelicans: $4.02 billion
  30. 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.

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Bulls Waive Mouhamadou Gueye

October 13th, 2025 at 1:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have waived Mouhamadou Gueye, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link).

Gueye has 11 games of NBA experience, all with the Raptors in 2023/24. Gueye, who went undrafted out of Pitt in 2022, joined the Raptors on a 10-day deal in February 2024 and a two-way contract that March. He averaged 2.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 10.9 minutes per contest during those NBA appearances.

Gueye was on the Wizards’ camp roster last season, then was waived before opening night. He averaged 10 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game over 34 contests for the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League club.

Having signed an Exhibit 10 deal in early September, Gueye will be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he joins the Windy City Bulls and spends at least 60 days with that team, Chicago’s G League affiliate.

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Bulls’ Dalen Terry Not Expected To Sign Extension

October 12th, 2025 at 10:52am CST by Rory Maher

Bulls guard/forward Dalen Terry is not expected to sign a rookie scale extension before the 2025/26 season begins, reports Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Terry’s camp has not had any “serious discussions” with the Bulls about a new deal, according to Cowley. Terry will remain eligible for a rookie scale extension until October 20.

The 23-year-old is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him about $5.4MM in ’25/26. The Bulls could make Terry a restricted free agent next summer if they tender him a qualifying offer, though that seems far from certain given the way his first three seasons have played out.

A 6’7″ swingman who was selected 18th overall in the 2022 draft after two college seasons at Arizona, Terry has struggled to establish himself as a reliable rotation player to this point in his career. He appeared in a career-high 73 games last season, holding relatively modest averages of 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 13.5 minutes per contest.

Terry, who switched jersey numbers (from No. 25 to No. 7) as he looks for a fresh start this fall, readily acknowledges ’25/26 is a “big year” for his career. He tells Cowley he’s looking to one of his former teammates for inspiration.

“This is how I think everybody views it,” Terry said. “They view it as I’m not a guy that scores 20, 30 points. Well, I got drafted to be like [former Bulls guard] Alex Caruso: ‘OK, he can guard, he can do all the little things, he can be a connector.’ That’s what I strive to be this year.

“Like, even [in the Bulls’ preseason victory Thursday against the Cavaliers], in my eyes, I played like [expletive]. But you look at the box score, and I’m guarding Donovan Mitchell. I was tough on him. Guarding De’Andre Hunter. I was tough on him. I have to live like that, you know?

“I remember being in the locker room [when] AC was still here, and some days he would have six points and some days he would have 20 points. That’s just the way it’s going to be. I have to hang my hat on the defensive end. So when people try to put pressure on what I should be, I’m just going to be myself.”

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Bulls Notes: Ball, Jones, Williams, White

October 11th, 2025 at 8:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

When Lonzo Ball signed a team-friendly two-year extension with the Bulls in February, he knew that he’d probably be in a different uniform before it expired, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. A $10MM annual salary with a club option in 2026/27 made Ball extremely attractive to contenders, and the Cavaliers were the first to pounce, sending Isaac Okoro to Chicago in a July trade.

Ball is happy to be with a contender in Cleveland, and he believes both teams benefited from the deal.

“I think teams trade to try to get better, so Chicago did what was best for them, and I think Cleveland did what they thought was best for them,” Ball said. “So all I can control is where I’m at and who I’m playing for, and that’s the Cavs right now. Go out there and give them my all.”

Ball completed a remarkable comeback last season, appearing in 35 games after missing two and a half years due to recurring knee issues. Cowley expects the Cavs to be cautious with him — limiting his minutes and not using him on both nights of back-to-backs — in order to keep him healthy for the playoffs.

Ball is still a beloved figure in Chicago, and he received a tribute video when Cleveland visited the United Center on Thursday.

“Just thankful, man,” he said. “I made a lot of good relationships here on and off the court. Loved the city of Chicago, and, as you can see, the fans still rock with me, so a lot of love to them. But coaches, man, even my teammates, it’s always great seeing them and hope the best for them moving forward, for sure.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

  • Re-signing Tre Jones was an offseason priority after acquiring him from San Antonio in a February trade, Cowley adds in a separate story. Cowley believes the addition of Jones made it easier for the Bulls to part with Ball. “He just kind of makes things happen,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He finds guys on cuts, back cuts. He gets to the basket. He’s very calm, got a good IQ, and, yeah, I kind of said it last year — he’s got that ‘it’ factor. He just makes plays.”
  • After five mostly frustrating seasons with the team, Patrick Williams recognizes the need to improve, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. He focused on dropping weight during the summer with a high-cardio workout routine that included running through sand dunes in Los Angeles. He hopes the increased mobility will make him more versatile on defense. “I always wanted to be strong and fit, be able to guard fours, guard fives, guard ones, guard twos, guard threes,” Williams said. “That was kind of the mindfulness of it — not wanting to be too slim where I can’t guard different positions, but also being slim enough where my joints and stuff aren’t just aching after games. Not just taking that constant beating and pounding with however many pounds of weight driving on them each and every day. (These are) things that over time you just become mindful of after you deal with a few injuries.”
  • Coby White remains sidelined with a calf strain he suffered in August, Poe states in another piece. There’s still hope that he might be ready for the October 16 preseason finale and the October 22 regular season opener, but Donovan said the team is being careful not to bring him back too early due to the strain of playing in an up-tempo offense.
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Central Notes: White, Jackson, Allen, Hunter

October 9th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Coby White has added motivation to return swiftly from a calf strain that’s plagued him ahead of the 2025/26 season, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. White is on track to be an unrestricted free agent next summer and will be looking to build on the best two years of his career.

According to Cowley, early indications are that both the Bulls and White are interested in getting a deal done next summer. Both sides are expected to proceed with caution when it comes to his return from his calf injury.

With White sidelined in Chicago’s preseason opener on Tuesday, Kevin Huerter took the bulk of his minutes and started in his stead. If White is to miss any regular season time, Huerter would be the prime candidate to assume a larger role.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • After missing all but five games last season due to an Achilles injury, Pacers center Isaiah Jackson seems to have the inside track to the starting center role, according to Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar, who details the big man’s recovery and conditioning process. “I can use my weight,” Jackson said. “I was always physical but I couldn’t move guys how I wanted to. I couldn’t play my brand of basketball. I’d get up to the offensive rim and I’d have to go straight up. Now I can bump people and move people out the way and I don’t really affected by it. Strength wise, I can play defense a little better. I can hold my own.“
  • The tandem of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley has proven to be effective, but Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated speculates that Allen could be a name to watch at the deadline depending on how the Cavaliers open the season. According to Mannix, most evaluators view Mobley as a long-term center, so there’s a sense that the team could be open to moving Allen at some point for the right return.
  • De’Andre Hunter had his most successful NBA season in 2024/25 across stints with the Hawks and Cavaliers, averaging a career-high 17.0 points per game and finishing fourth in Sixth Player of the Year voting. He looks poised to carry over that momentum this fall and take another step forward, having recorded 17 points and seven rebounds in Cleveland’s preseason opener. In a subscriber-only piece, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com examines why Hunter’s teammates are expecting a “huge year” from the forward and why head coach Kenny Atkinson has referred to him as the club’s “offseason MVP.”
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Bulls Sign, Waive Kevin Knox

October 9th, 2025 at 6:30am CST by Arthur Hill

October 9: The Bulls have officially signed and waived Knox, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

October 8: Free agent forward Kevin Knox has reached an agreement with the Bulls, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Scotto doesn’t offer any specifics about the deal, but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 contract designed to get Knox to Chicago’s G League affiliate. If so, it would make him eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with the Windy City Bulls.

Knox played a portion of last season in the G League, averaging 25.3 points and 8.8 rebounds in 12 regular season games with Golden State’s affiliate in Santa Cruz. The 26-year-old joined the Warriors on a pair of 10-day contracts in February and March and was signed for the remainder of the season. He saw limited playing time in 14 games.

Knox spent three-plus seasons with New York after being selected with the ninth pick in the 2018 draft, but he has bounced around the league since then. He was traded to Atlanta in January of 2022, signed with Detroit that summer and was shipped to Portland at the 2023 deadline. He returned to Detroit as a free agent in November of 2023, then was traded to Utah at the 2024 deadline.

He has appeared in 320 games during his seven NBA seasons with career averages of 7.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per night and .393/.340/.723 shooting numbers.

The Bulls only have 19 players on their roster, two short of the offseason limit, so another move won’t be necessary before finalizing Knox’s contract.

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Bulls Notes: Okoro, White, Buzelis, Kawamura

October 8th, 2025 at 7:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls acquired Isaac Okoro from Cleveland over the summer to help them build a new defensive identity, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. The 24-year-old swingman’s skills on that end of the court were his calling card during five seasons with the Cavaliers, but his role was starting to deteriorate. Lorenzi notes that Okoro averaged a career-low 19.1 minutes in 55 games last season, and his playing time dropped to 14.2 minutes per night in the playoffs.

“I think for both parties, (Cleveland) probably wanted to change. … For me, I wanted to change,” Okoro said. “Of course, it was hard for both of us to be apart, because that’s where I was drafted to. But in this business, changes happen. Things like this, I look at as a blessing because I’m able to rebrand myself. (It’s) a new chance for me to come to this team and bring a leadership that I’ve learned (from) five years in Cleveland and try to help the team with the things I’ve learned throughout the years.”

Bulls management liked Okoro enough to send veteran guard Lonzo Ball to the Cavs in return. Coach Billy Donovan said the teams have different needs and he believes they both benefited from the deal, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

‘‘When I spoke to the front office about (the trade), it was, ‘Hey, this is an opportunity, and what do you think about Isaac?’ ’ Donovan recalled. ‘‘I think the trade, in my opinion, was good (for both teams). We needed some physicality, and Isaac brings that to the table. Where (the Cavaliers are) as an organization now in terms of trying to make a deep playoff run, they had some (backcourt) injuries last year, and this shores up their backcourt a little bit more.’’

There’s more on the Bulls:

  • Coby White is still recovering from a calf strain he suffered in August, Cowley adds in a separate story. Donovan said White has been running and shooting, and there’s hope he can be ready for the final preseason game on October 16 and the regular season opener six days later. ‘‘The problem is when they all came back after Labor Day, the calf issue was bothering him,’’ Donovan added. ‘‘Treatment, rehab, all that stuff. And then every time they kind of ramped him up a little bit, it kind of always got to a place where he felt tightness. It wasn’t pain, but every time they got to this threshold, he felt tightness. So they basically just shut him down.’’
  • Matas Buzelis showed no fear in attacking Cavaliers big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Lorenzi observes in a recap of Tuesday’s preseason game. Buzelis finished with 19 points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes, and Lorenzi believes he may be ready for a huge second season.
  • Two-way point guard Yuki Kawamura was also impressive against the Cavs, handing out five assists in a little more than 14 minutes of action, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Kawamura is the shortest player in the league at 5’8″ and there are plenty of guards ahead of him in the rotation, but he believes he’s a perfect fit for the Bulls’ fast-paced attack if he gets a chance to play. “I feel like it fits me,” he said. “I love the system. That’s why it didn’t take me a long time to adjust to the Bulls’ offense.”
  • Former NBPA director Justin Jackson – not to be confused with former NBA first-round pick Justin Jackson or former second-round pick Justin Jackson – has been hired as assistant general manager for the Bulls’ Windy City G League affiliate, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
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Players Seeking Paydays This Season

October 5th, 2025 at 5:03pm CST by Eli Cohen

While some players are still hoping to finalize rookie scale extensions before the season begins, the majority of contract situations around the league have been settled at this point. But business never sleeps in the world of the NBA, and many players will enter this season hoping to impress executives and land their next big payday.

Zach Harper of The Athletic details the top names playing for new deals this season, excluding the aforementioned rookie scale extension seekers.

One player not on a rookie-scale deal but still extension-eligible is Michael Porter Jr., whom the Nets recently acquired to add some scoring pop to the starting lineup. Porter’s deal runs for two more seasons and will pay him $38.3MM this year and $40.8MM in 2026/27.

The Nets’ roster remains a major work in progress, making future projections tricky, but at just 27 years old, Porter is in position to have a big year in Brooklyn and boost his stock entering a contract year next summer. The biggest question, according to Harper, is whether Porter’s next deal would remain in the range of the $40MM+ he’ll earn in 2026/27 or if he would take a modest pay cut to secure a longer-term contract.

Harper takes a look at three big men who could hit the open market next summer: Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks‘ new starting center, longtime Bulls veteran Nikola Vucevic, and the Knicks‘ on-and-off starter Mitchell Robinson. All three have question marks surrounding them — for Porzingis and Robinson, those questions center around health, though Robinson could also be a cap casualty on New York’s increasingly pricey roster.

Vucevic has been in trade rumors for years, and with the Bulls taking more steps to embrace a youth movement than they have in the past, his time in Chicago could be coming to an end. Harper predicts an annual value of around $21MM for Vucevic on his next deal, which is about what he’ll earn in 2025/26.

Another group of players Harper looks at is a trio of high-scoring guards who will be free agents in 2026: Anfernee Simons and Norman Powell, who were acquired this summer by the Celtics and Heat, respectively, and Coby White, who has grown into a talented combo guard over his six seasons with the Bulls. Harper predicts a deal around $20MM annually for Simons, $75MM over three years for White, and a two-year, $50MM contract for Powell.

The 2026 free agency class will also be impacted by the decisions made by veterans with player options, such as Zach LaVine (Kings), Bradley Beal (Clippers), and Austin Reaves (Lakers). Cam Thomas (Nets) and Quentin Grimes (Sixers) will also reach unrestricted free agency after accepting their respective qualifying offers and will be looking to recoup the money they passed on this offseason.

Finally, Harper singles out four role players who could be coveted next season, depending on their performance this season: Rui Hachimura (Lakers), Tyus Jones (Magic), Keon Ellis (Kings), and Georges Niang (Jazz). The 25-year-old Ellis has broken out over the last two seasons and could command his first real payday of his career if he has a strong season off the bench in Sacramento. Harper speculates he could be in line for a deal similar to the three-year, $27.6MM contract Ty Jerome signed with the Grizzlies this summer.

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Central Notes: Holland, Pistons Offense, Essengue, Vucevic

October 4th, 2025 at 3:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons second-year player Ron Holland added 15 pounds this offseason, in part because he might get some minutes at power forward behind Tobias Harris. Holland appeared in 81 games last season at the wing positions.

“That’s where the weight-gain things come in,” Holland told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “Whatever position they need me to go in and play, I’m ready for it, whether it’s the one, two, three or four. I feel like if I go sub Tobias and I go guard some fours, I’ll be prepared for that.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

  • The Pistons finished last season second in the NBA in fast-break points per game (18.5) and seventh in points off turnovers (19), Hunter Patterson of The Athletic notes. Now, coach J.B. Bickerstaff wants to parlay his defense into even more dynamic plays on the offensive end. “There’s a way that you can defend and still be explosive, and that’s what we aim to do,” Bickerstaff said. “What we want to do is make sure that our identity is on the defensive end. Then you can go from a great defensive team to an explosive offensive team.”
  • Noa Essengue, the 12th pick of the draft by the Bulls, is just 18 years old and will need some time to develop before he can make an impact, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Essengue may wind up spending much of the season with the G League Windy City Bulls. “We’re not going to put high expectations on what’s going to happen,” executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said. “We’re just going to see how he does in the rest of training camp and how he does in the preseason. We’ll make those decisions then.”
  • Nikola Vucevic‘s three-year, $60MM contract expires at the end of this season. The Bulls center was included in plenty of trade rumors this summer but didn’t get moved. He was in steady contact with the front office throughout the offseason, Cowley writes. ‘‘I had good communication with the front office throughout the summer,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘As you guys all know, there were many rumors, different kinds. I always say it’s part of the job I’m in, we’re all in, and it comes with the territory. If a trade would have happened, it would have happened. It didn’t, and I’m glad to be here. I didn’t pay too much attention. Maybe before the draft [in June] because that’s when I thought maybe something could happen, but overall I tried to focus on the offseason, my family and the international stuff. It’s something that’s out of my control, so I didn’t pay attention to it too much.”
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2025/26 NBA Over/Unders: Central Division

October 3rd, 2025 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2025/26 NBA regular season tipping off later this month, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including BetMGM and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2024/25, our voters went 13-17 on their over/under picks. Can we top that in ’25/26?

We’ll continue our series today with the Central Division…

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Milwaukee Bucks

Indiana Pacers

Chicago Bulls

Previous voting results:

Atlantic

  • New York Knicks (53.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
  • Boston Celtics (42.5 wins): Over (52.7%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (42.5 wins): Under (58.7%)
  • Toronto Raptors (37.5 wins): Over (50.2%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Over (54.4%)

Northwest

  • Oklahoma City Thunder (62.5 wins): Over (62.9%)
  • Denver Nuggets (53.5 wins): Over (72.1%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (49.5 wins): Over (58.7%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (34.5 wins): Over (57.1%)
  • Utah Jazz (18.5 wins): Over (55.3%).
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