Knicks worth more than the Lakers, Forbes says

Why is this man smiling?

List-happy Forbes magazine came out with its latest tally today, and according to its calculations the New York Knicks are the most valuable franchise in the NBA and are worth $613 million. And Jerry Buss' Lakers are No. 2 on the list at $584 million.

The rest of the top 10 valuations: Chicago Bulls ($504 million), Detroit Pistons ($480 million), Cleveland Cavaliers ($477 million), Houston Rockets ($469 million), Dallas Mavericks ($466 million), Phoenix Suns ($452 million), Boston Celtics ($447 million) and San Antonio Spurs ($415 million).

The magazine also says that the Bulls enjoyed the biggest operating profit in the last year at $55.4 million, with the Lakers again being the runner-up with an operating profit of $47.9 million (on $191 million in revenues).

Forbes claims all top 10 NBA teams are profitable, with one exception -- Mark Cuban's Mavericks posted an operating loss of $13.6 million.

-- Barry Stavro

Photo: Jerry Buss, owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, is all smiles after being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles in October 2006. Credit: Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times.

Comments

[erichansa]

Knicks have been a train wreck, while the Lakers are on track to be great for the next 4 or 5 years. I can't see how the Knicks, with all their problems, are so valuable.

[kevo]

If you were given a chance to buy a franchise which one would you buy, knicks or lakers?

That's hands down the lakers, 2nd most banners, in the 2nd largers metro area, probably the largest 'local' fan base (fresno to las vegas to san diego) profit despite a high payroll, fans willing to dump tons of money to see games, merch etc. Even the size of NYC shouldn't out do those facts.

[Sports Card Freaks]

The value of the team has really little to do with win/loss records. The knicks are worth a lot of money because they are in NY. Same with the Lakers. If both teams lost 90% of their games it wouldn't matter.