NBA rumors: Which team could be for sale this year?

Apr 4, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Courtney Lee (5) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Courtney Lee (5) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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As the 2016-17 regular season comes to a close, there are rumors swirling that another NBA team could be on the market this summer.

Recently, on his radio show, Colin Cowherd gave listeners a little juicy rumor floating around the NBA. Cowherd mentions that an unnamed source, with close ties to the league, told him that an NBA team would be up for sale this off-season. Though it’s not official, Cowherd did go on to say that it was very close to happening and that it would be a team out of the Eastern Conference.

The NBA is a lucrative business. Take a look at Forbes’ valuation of each NBA team for 2017:

  1. New York Knicks: $3.3 billion
  2. Los Angeles Lakers: $3 billion
  3. Golden State Warriors: $2.6 billion
  4. Chicago Bulls: $2.5 billion
  5. Boston Celtics: $2.2 billion
  6. Los Angeles Clippers: $2 billion
  7. Brooklyn Nets: $1.8 billion
  8. Houston Rockets: $1.65 billion
  9. Dallas Mavericks: $1.45 billion
  10. Miami Heat: $1.35 billion
  11. Cleveland Cavaliers: $1.2 billion
  12. San Antonio Spurs: $1.15 billion
  13. Toronto Raptors: $1.125 billion
  14. Phoenix Suns: $1.1 billion
  15. Sacramento Kings: $1.075 billion
  16. Portland Trail Blazers: $1.05 billion
  17. Oklahoma City Thunder: $1.025 billion
  18. Washington Wizards: $1 billion
  19. Orlando Magic: $920 million
  20. Utah Jazz: $910 million
  21. Detroit Piston: $900 million
  22. Denver Nuggets: $890 million
  23. Atlanta Hawks: $885 million
  24. Indiana Pacers: $880 million
  25. Philadelphia 76ers: $800 million
  26. Memphis Grizzlies: $790 million
  27. Milwaukee Bucks: $785 million
  28. Charlotte Hornets: 780 million
  29. Minnesota Timberwolves: $770 million
  30. New Orleans Pelicans: $750 million

The average NBA team is worth $1.35 billion! That number just continues to grow too, with the NBA’s global presence expanding as well.

The last three teams to sell: Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks, sold for $2 billion, $550 million and $850 million, respectively. We haven’t had a team for sale since 2015 though, and depending on which team it is, it could have quite the hefty price tag.

Colin Cowherd did give us a hint to which team it could be by telling us it was a franchise out of the East. That eliminates 15 teams right there.

Let’s take a look at the five teams most likely to go on the market this year.

5. New York Kicks

This might be a more of a stretch than the rest of the teams on this list, but it would be massive if this were to happen. The Knicks are the NBA’s most valuable team for the second year in a row, with a valuation of $3.3 billion. So, there’s not too many reasons why owner James Dolan would want to part ways with the Knicks. But, poor team performance, a screwed up front office and a disconnect from the fans could just be enough for Dolan to consider it.

There’s a website that Knicks fans launched back in 2015 called Knicks4sale.com, (which is no longer active) where they pleaded with Dolan to sell the team. There’s the more recent public encounter Dolan had with former Knick Charles Oakley, where Oakley was forcibly removed from a Knicks game. This whole episode has made Dolan even more unpopular with Knicks faithful. And of course, the team’s play is just awful. They finished 20 games under .500 this season, and it appears we’re headed for another off-season of drama. So, maybe as sale is just what the doctor ordered.

It would easily be the biggest sale in NBA history. If the Knicks were to be sold, it would have to be someone, or some group, with very deep pockets. Floyd Mayweather has been vocal about his desire to own an NBA franchise. He made a push for the Clippers back in 2014 and you’d think the New York Knicks would be right up his alley. But, he’d have plenty of competition. It would exciting to see how it would unfold.