The Boston Celtics were put up for sale shortly after winning the 2024 NBA championship. The Grousbeck family have been entertaining offers in recent months, as they look to find the right buyer for the franchise.
According to a March 20 report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Houston-based billionaire Bill Chisholm has agreed to purchase the Celtics franchise for $6.1 billion. That figure makes the sale the largest amount ever paid for a North American sports team. It surpasses the $6.05 billion that was paid for the Washington Commanders.
“BREAKING: Bill Chisholm, managing partner at Symphony Technology Group, has agreed to purchase the Boston Celtics from the Grousbeck family for a valuation for $6.1 billion, sources tell ESPN,” Charania reported via X. “This now is the largest sale for a sports franchise in North America.”
Charania continued in another post.
“The Boston Celtics’ sale of $6.1 billion surpasses the NFL’s Washington Commanders ($6.05 billion) for the highest sum ever for a North American sports team.”
There are currently no details regarding a succession plan for the current ownership group. Grousbeck had previously discussed his desire to remain with the team in the coming years. He would likely phase out his influence within the front office.
Bill Chisholm Must Keep Celtics Core Intact
Chisholm has a reported Net Worth of $7.5 billion. The Celtics are facing the largest luxury tax bill in the NBA. Their current roster is expensively built. However, that same roster won a championship last season and are favorites to repeat this year.
If Chisholm wants to hit the ground running, he must keep things as they are. He has to reiterate that Brad Stevens’ job is safe. And most importantly, he can’t interfere in basketball operations. A quick glance over to the Phoenix Suns and their struggles since Mat Ishbia took over can give you a sense of why Chisholm being hands-off is important.
The Celtics are a pre-built contender. Keeping things as they are and letting the front office do their jobs will ensure the championship window remains open for the foreseeable future.
Celtics Are Set For Success
Boston’s future success is about more than the current roster. Stevens has built a pipeline between the Maine Celtics and the NBA roster. As such, Chisholm’s work, in basketball terms, should be minimal.
Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta are all products of the G-League development pathway. Baylor Scheierman, the 30th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, has drastically improved after spending the season in Maine. In fact, Scheierman dropped 20 points against the Brooklyn Nets on March 18.
“He’s got a high level of toughness to him,” Mazzulla said during his postgame news conference. “He’s got a good basketball IQ. To me, it’s just the consistency and the patience. You can’t get discouraged. You’re not defined by one day, two days. It’s really just a process. And there’s the small moments that you have to take advantage of, and all those guys have taken advantage in different moments. Tonight, it was his night. He did a great job, and just got to continue to work.”
Chisholm has agreed to buy a winning franchise. He will inherit an elite front office with a wealth of basketball knowledge, both in terms of on-court and operational know-how. If he can stay out of his own way, sign the cheques and build a relationship with the fanbase, this could be the start of another successful period in franchise history.
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