Forbes Names Lakers Most Valuable Franchise In NBA, Overtaking Knicks

The Lakers may be merely 10-8 and struggling to hold off the Clippers for the title of "Best NBA Team In L.A.," but there is good news: Forbes today ranked them as the No. 1 most valuable franchise in the league, according to the Associated Press.

The magazine said today that the Lakers' value increased 40 percent this year, thanks to their new blockbuster TV deal with Time Warner. The team is now worth $900 million, leapfrogging the Knicks, who increased 19 percent this year to $780 million thanks to renovating Madison Square Garden.