Report: Knicks' value surges to $3.5B after Rockets, Clippers sales

Recent transactions such as that of the Houston Rockets, or the record-setting $2.1-billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers, only further affirm the rising appeal of the NBA product.

The New York Knicks are now worth $3.5 billion following the Rockets' $2.2-billion sale, according to Macquarie Research, as relayed by Gerry Smith from Bloomberg.

This evaluation mirrors the annual assessment provided by Forbes in February, wherein the Knicks were valued at $3.3 billion to lead all franchises. The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, and Boston Celtics round out the top five.

As always, New York's beloved team remains mired in never-ending mediocrity under the ownership of Jim Dolan. But that's all offset by the growing marketability of the NBA, coupled with its lucrative national TV deal, along with the steady cultural significance of basketball in the Big Apple.

And if the Knicks continue to appreciate in value despite offering a mediocre on-court product, why would Dolan ever sell?