The Los Angeles Lakers have passed the New York Knicks in terms of Sportico’s 2025 NBA franchise valuations.
Leading the NBA are the Golden State Warriors, worth $11.33 billion, and in second place, the Lakers have piggybacked the Knicks, coming in at a $10 billion valuation. New York holds the No. 3 spot with a $9.85 billion mark.
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After the Buss family agreed to sell the majority ownership of their team to Mark Walter this past June for approximately $10 billion, Sportico deemed them more valuable than the Knicks, as the Lakers moved up from the No. 3 spot last year and swapped with New York.
Walter isn’t new to the sports ownership world and has already held a 26 percent share in the team since 2021. Walter and his holding company, TWG Global, have interests in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks, and Premier League’s Chelsea, among other investments.
Walter’s resume for the Dodgers is unparalleled since purchasing the team with his group in 2012, winning the division 12 of the last 13 years, winning championships in 2020 and 2024, and a chance to do so again this season as LA recently clinched a spot to head back to the World Series.
Walter has done so with not just spending more than most, but spending on the right facets of the team.
Walter’s Other Big LA Investment is Paying Off
The money Walter has spent on the Dodgers’ roster has been the highest in baseball for seven of the seasons he has been at the helm. He has also made multiple renovations to their home ballpark, Dodger Stadium, and recently made a major upgrade to the players’ clubhouse facility.
If Walter works his magic in a similar way for the Lakers, not only will their franchise continue to earn value, but perhaps more championships will be on the horizon.
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