Brian Windhorst claims the NBA, despite abundant sponsorships and collaborations, is becoming dangerously distorted. The 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal signed with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon in July 2024 set a historic financial ceiling and raised franchise valuations.
However, Windhorst warns that this cash funnel is affecting the league and is polishing over a rotting foundation, and that if it is not addressed, Adam Silver will have a big problem on his hands.
Brian Windhorst On NBA’s Profit vs. Popularity Gap
According to Sportico, the average value of all 30 NBA teams is a whopping $5.5 billion, and the combined value exceeds $160 billion.
The Golden State Warriors remain the NBA’s most valued franchise at ($11.04B), followed by the Los Angeles Lakers ($10B) and the Los Angeles Lakers ($9.85B). This has certainly played a role in the league landing a media deal of such magnitude.
On the latest episode of the Hoops Tonight podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst joined the host Jason Timpf and discussed the current state of the NBA and its ever-changing financial landscape. Windhorst argues that the NBA is “failing upward,” as its incentive structure is upside-down. With the bank account full, the league’s cultural relevance might be leaking.
He commented, “The guaranteed cash flow is built in for the next 10 years… Adam Silver is trying to fix something when the wind and everything is blowing against them.”
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In 2003, the max contracts were only $12 million, and the value has exponentially risen to $70 million for a single-season salary cap. Yet despite the big jump in contracts, the players’ popularity has not kept pace. Windhorst noted that.
Brian Windhorst Feels NBA Is Facing a Structural Disconnect
With guaranteed money and sponsors practically “knocking on the door,” Windhorst thinks it has created a disconnect between merit and expectations for hefty contracts. For example, players like Anthony Davis or Trae Young have been consistently rewarded with lucrative, nine-figure extensions despite underwhelming on-court performance.
Davis is currently signed under a 3-year, $175 million contract and will receive $54,126,450 for the 2025-26 season despite playing in only 20 games across two franchises. Whereas Trae Young has only appeared in 15 games and will receive an average annual salary of $43 million.
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After addressing the tanking issue, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is now tasked with another daunting job: fixing a broken incentive structure while team owners ignore the cracks for the big bucks. As Windhorst points out, when the financial gains are this high, the passion for sports is often overlooked.
