Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Magic 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:

  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.

Repost Share Send via email

Injury Notes: Garland, Suggs, Adebayo, Bucks, Pacers, Thiero

October 15th, 2025 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland took an important step forward in his recovery from toe surgery by participating in a 5-on-5 contact scrimmage on Tuesday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). While head coach Kenny Atkinson referred to as a positive development, he cautioned that it doesn’t mean Garland’s return is imminent.

“It was live. It was very short,” Atkinson said. “Now let’s see what tomorrow looks like. What does the recovery look like? We know this is not an easy injury to come back from. It’s just not. You see what happens in the NFL with this injury. It’s not linear, usually, the return to performance, and we’re hoping it will be and he’ll progress. But I side on the side of being conservative and making sure. This is a good step today. A small step but a good step.”

Sources who have spoken to Fedor have maintained that Garland still could miss the first 10-15 games of the regular season. With their starting point guard expected to be unavailable when the season tips off, the Cavs intend to start Sam Merrill in the backcourt alongside Donovan Mitchell, who will take on more ball-handling responsibilities, says Fedor.

We have several more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

  • Magic guard Jalen Suggs did “a little bit” of contact work on Tuesday in a 3-on-3 setting, head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters, including Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). It’s unclear whether Suggs will be able to play in Orlando’s remaining preseason game on Thursday or if he’ll be ready for the season opener next Wednesday.
  • Heat big man Bam Adebayo exited Monday’s preseason game early due to a knee injury, but it’s just a contusion and wasn’t serious enough to require an MRI, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). While it remains to be seen if Adebayo will suit up in the team’s preseason finale on Friday, it sounds like he should fine for the start of the season.
  • After Myles Turner (right calf soreness) and Gary Harris (right hamstring strain) sat out the Bucks‘ last preseason game on Tuesday, head coach Doc Rivers downplayed Turner’s issue and suggested he’ll be ready for the start of the season, but said Harris’ hamstring injury will likely sideline him for a week or two, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter links).
  • The injuries that Pacers reserves Johnny Furphy (left ankle sprain) and Quenton Jackson (right hamstring soreness) are dealing with aren’t “serious,” according to head coach Rick Carlisle, but there’s no guarantee either player will be ready for opening night. “There’s a chance they could be back for the opening of the season, but I don’t know how big of a chance,” Carlisle said, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. The Pacers’ coach added Ben Sheppard, who has been out with an undisclosed injury, is “trending in a good direction” and could be available on Friday for the club’s preseason finale.
  • Lakers rookie Adou Thiero remains sidelined due to swelling in his knee but has progressed to on-court activities, the team announced on Tuesday (Twitter link via Dan Woike of The Athletic). The Lakers added that Thiero will be reevaluated in approximately two or three weeks.
Repost Share Send via email

Magic Sign Javonte Smart, Phillip Wheeler To Exhibit 10 Deals

October 13th, 2025 at 6:20pm CST by Rory Maher

The Magic have signed Javonte Smart and Phillip Wheeler, per a team press release. To complete the signings, Orlando waived Jalen Crutcher and Alex Morales.

Both Smart and Wheeler received Exhibit 10 contracts, reports Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).

Smart holds two years of NBA experience, appearing in a total of 18 games with Milwaukee, Miami and Philadelphia while on two-way contracts with those clubs. He spent all of last season with the Magic’s G League affiliate in Osceola after signing an Exhibit 10 deal last fall.

The 26-year-old guard, who played for Team USA during the FIBA AmeriCup tournament this summer (the Americans finished in third place, winning a bronze medal), appeared in 44 games (27.1 MPG) for Osceola in 2024/25, averaging 14.1 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2.5 RPG and 1.1 SPG on .459/.359/.737 shooting.

Wheeler’s Exhibit 10 agreement with the Magic was first reported in early September. The 6’9″ forward, who went undrafted in 2022, has spent the majority of the past three seasons playing in the NBAGL and the Puerto Rican league. He made his NBA debut in ’24/25, appearing in five games with the Sixers while on a 10-day hardship contract.

Crutcher and Morales were on Exhibit 10 deals as well. Both players are now eligible for a bonus worth $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with Osceola in ’25/26.

Orlando’s roster is still at the offseason maximum of 21 players.

Repost Share Send via email

And-Ones: Pierce, Mosley, Daigneault, NBA Europe, Project B

October 11th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Celtics star Paul Pierce was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of driving under the influence after he was found asleep behind the wheel on U.S. Highway 101 in Los Angeles, per an Associated Press report.

California Highway Patrol officers, who were responding to the scene of an unrelated car crash in the area, saw Pierce’s Range Rover nearby after they reopened the four affected highway lanes, according to a press release. Pierce was asleep and showed “signs of alcohol impairment,” prompting the officers to conduct a DUI investigation and arrest him on a misdemeanor charge.

Pierce, a 10-time All-Star and Hall of Famer who won a title with Boston in 2008, has been out of the NBA since 2017, but has worked in broadcasting roles for ESPN and Fox Sports since then.

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

  • While nothing has been set in stone yet, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley and Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault are two names to watch as potential candidates for Team USA’s coaching staff when Erik Spoelstra takes over coaching duties, sources tell Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
  • The EuroLeague, the NBA, and FIBA met again this week as the NBA and FIBA continue to explore the potential creation of a European league. In the wake of Wednesday’s meeting, the EuroLeague released a statement that thanked the NBA for “constructive dialogue” but said the proposal for collaboration the EuroLeague presented at the previous meeting has yet to receive “any meaningful response.” According to Alessandro Luigi Maggi of Sportando (Twitter link), the NBA views the model proposed by the EuroLeague as unsustainable.
  • While Maverick Carter is no longer part of the proposed basketball league known as “Project B,” other organizers and investors are moving forward with plans for the global league, according to Sam Amick, Mike Vorkunov, and Vardon of The Athletic, who share the latest details. Project B co-founder Grady Burnett tells The Athletic that the goal is to launch a women’s basketball league next fall, with the goal of setting up a men’s league as well. “We’re going to focus on the women’s side at this point,” he said. “I think it’s natural to assume that we will do other things after that.”
Repost Share Send via email

Southeast Notes: Magic Rotation, Suggs, Achiuwa, Knueppel

October 11th, 2025 at 11:03am CST by Rory Maher

Free agent addition Tyus Jones and trade acquisition Desmond Bane started their second straight preseason game on Friday for the Magic, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The veteran guards were once again paired with mainstays Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley praised Carter after the 26-year-old big man accumulated 20 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes during the 30-point victory over Philadelphia, Beede notes.

“The work that he continues to put in, his presence around that rim, his presence on the floor, his demeanor, it changes the way we play,” Mosley said about Carter. “When he plays with that presence, that poise and that strength for our team, it goes such a long way.”

According to Beede, the first five players of the bench for Orlando were Anthony Black, Jase Richardson, Jett Howard, Tristan Da Silva and Goga Bitadze. The Magic selected four of those players in the first round of the past three drafts, with Bitadze being the lone exception.

Here are a few more notes from around the Southeast Division:

  • While president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said a couple weeks ago that the Magic were targeting opening night for Jalen Suggs‘ return from the left knee injury that has sidelined him since January, the team continues to take a cautious approach to his recovery. Mosley said before Friday’s contest that Suggs has done a limited amount of contact work to this point, according to Beede. “We’re slowly ramping him up,” Mosley said. “I think he’s different in the sense that how he responds to what we do on a day-to-day [basis]. He’s been in some 5-on-0, does that, not much contact in situations. But slowly trying to bake him in there. As we go on the next couple weeks, we’ll be able to see and tell more from that.”
  • Forward/center Precious Achiuwa went unsigned for most of the offseason before agreeing to a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Heat in late September. Achiuwa, who was drafted by Miami and spent his rookie year with the team before being traded to Toronto in the 2021 offseason, said he’s happy to be back with his first NBA team, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald relays. “I think there’s some unfinished business,” Achiuwa said of returning to the Heat. “Just the culture of the Miami Heat kind of fits the way I play. A lot of tenacity, a lot of intensity. So I feel right at home here.”
  • Brandon Miller has been impressed with fellow wing Kon Knueppel during training camp and preseason, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “Definitely a great competitor,” Miller said of Knueppel. “He’s going to have a great career in this league. I’m rooting. We’re going to be right there behind him, supporting him as he continues to get better every day. So, hats off to him for coming in with the most confidence, just continue to have that confidence and that competitive spirit. You can’t ask for much more from him.” Miller was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 draft, while Knueppel was selected fourth overall in June.
Repost Share Send via email

2025/26 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division

October 10th, 2025 at 1:52pm 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 Southeast Division…

Orlando Magic

Atlanta Hawks

Miami Heat

Charlotte Hornets

Washington Wizards

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%)

Central

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (56.5 wins): Over (58.0%)
  • Detroit Pistons (46.5 wins): Over (60.5%)
  • Milwaukee Bucks (42.5 wins): Over (74.4%)
  • Indiana Pacers (37.5 wins): Over (50.1%)
  • Chicago Bulls (32.5 wins): Over (60.8%)

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%)

Pacific

  • Los Angeles Clippers (48.5 wins): Under (58.7%)
  • Los Angeles Lakers (48.5 wins): Under (52.1%)
  • Golden State Warriors (46.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
  • Sacramento Kings (34.5 wins): Over (55.1%)
  • Phoenix Suns (31.5 wins): Under (56.8%)
Repost Share Send via email

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.

Repost Share Send via email

Magic Notes: Bane, Banchero, F. Wagner, Black, Howard

October 8th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic took a major gamble by trading for Desmond Bane, but Paolo Banchero believes the high-scoring guard is exactly what Orlando needs to be a serious contender in the East, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The team sent a lot of assets to Memphis in return, parting with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round swap. Banchero has no doubt that Bane will be worth the high price.

“It’s a great fit for who we are as a team,” he said. “He adds what we’re missing, and he also adds to what we already have. It’s like the perfect match. We don’t have anybody who can make shots like him, who can kind of leverage the way he is able to make shots, then make plays for others and get downhill and create. He’s a Swiss Army knife just as a player, as a guard. He is stronger than 99 percent of the guards in the league with how he’s built. He’s going to fit into what we do.”

Bane tells Spears that he received a Father’s Day text from Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman, along with a request to talk right away. Kleiman followed up by FaceTiming him to break the news of the trade. Even though Bane was caught by surprise after spending his first five NBA seasons in Memphis, he insists there’s “no bad blood at all” and he’s happy to be in a good situation in Orlando. He also regrets that the Grizzlies weren’t able to make a long playoff run while the foundation of the team was together.

“I feel like we never really got a chance to see what it would be like for a full season with our core and everybody healthy,” Bane said. “But you can only wait so long. In this business, you only got so many years to make something happen.”

There’s more from Orlando:

  • Jamahl Mosely had Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner serve as coaches during Wednesday’s scrimmage, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Suggs is still recovering from a left knee trochlea cartilage tear that ended his season in January, while Wagner is rehabbing a torn ACL in his left knee. Since they couldn’t participate in the scrimmage, Mosely decided to give them a different perspective. “It’s huge because it talks about communicating,” he said. “It keeps communication as the high priority. You’ve got to be able to communicate with your teammates the things that you see, what you want, the standard that we’ve set. I’ve said this before but it’s easy for coaches to say things, to put things on boards, to watch it on film … It becomes real when these guys can repeat it back to you and they can repeat the message of what they’re calling themselves to do.” 
  • Franz Wagner sat out the first preseason contest after an active summer at EuroBasket, but he’s hoping to get back on the court in at least one of the next three games, Beede adds. “Yeah, I definitely want to play, get out there with the guys and get a couple minutes,” Wagner said. “Not that much time before the first real game.”
  • In a separate story, Beede examines the importance of this season for Anthony Black and Jett Howard, who will both become eligible for rookie scale extensions next summer.
Repost Share Send via email

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.
Repost Share Send via email

Magic Sign Jalen Crutcher, Waive Johnell Davis

October 6th, 2025 at 6:27pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Free agent guard Jalen Crutcher has signed with the Magic, who have waived Johnell Davis in a corresponding move, according to the team (Twitter link).

Crutcher’s deal is an Exhibit 10 training camp contract, a source informs Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). As a result of the two transactions, the team still has a full 21-man preseason roster.

A three-time All-Atlantic 10 selection during his NCAA stint with Dayton, Crutcher went undrafted in 2021. Hebegan his pro career with Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, in 2021/22. His NBAGL rights were shipped to New Orleans’ NBAGL club, the Birmingham Squadron, ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Crutcher signed a 10-day deal with the Pelicans in February of 2024, but was not retained after the agreement expired. He returned to the Squadron, and remained in Birmingham to tip off 2024/25. New Orleans did ink him to a two-way contract, but ultimately cut him in March.

To date, Crutcher has appeared in a single NBA game, seeing the court for just under three minutes with New Orleans in 2024.

Should Crutcher be cut and spend at least 60 days with the Osceola Magic, Orlando’s G League affiliate, he’ll become eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300. That figures to be the next step for Davis as well.

Repost Share Send via email
Load More Posts