Sports | February 7, 2019 10:15 am

Knicks Are NBA’s Most Valuable Team, Despite Being Annually Awful

The Knicks are valued at $4 billion, an 11 percent increase from a year ago.

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 3: Kevin Knox #20 of the New York Knicks high-fives DeAndre Jordan #6 of the New York Knicks against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 3, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

NBAE/Getty Images

By Evan Bleier @itishowitis

At 10-43, the New York Knicks are the worst team in the NBA.

Despite that, they are the most valuable team in The Association with a value of $4 billion which is an 11 percent increase from a year ago, according to Forbes.

With that $4 billion valuation, the Knicks are tied with the New York Yankees as the second-most-valuable U.S. sports franchises. Both trail the Dallas Cowboys (worth $5 billion).

“Despite nearly two decades of losing, the Knicks command premium prices for tickets, suites, and sponsorships,” according to Forbes. “The team’s local cable deal with MSG, worth more than $100 million a year, is the second richest in the sport behind that of the Los Angeles Lakers.”

Overall, NBA team values increased by an average of 13 percent year-over-year and the average NBA franchise is now worth $1.9 billion.

Following the Knicks on the list are the Los Angeles Lakers ($3.7B), Golden State Warriors ($3.5B), Chicago Bulls ($2.9B), and Boston Celtics ($2.8B).

At the bottom of the league are the Pistons ($1.27B), Timberwolves ($1.26B), Hornets ($1.25B), Pelicans ($1.22B), and Grizzlies ($1.20B)

When looking at this list, it’s worth bearing in mind that Golden State’s ownership group bought the Warriors in 2010 for $450 million.

In the past five years, the value of the franchise is up an astounding 367 percent.