Dear William,
News recently broke that your bid to purchase the Boston Celtics has been accepted. As a lifelong Celtics fan, I would first like to congratulate you on accomplishing what I imagine was a childhood dream of yours!
As with any big changes, this transfer of ownership has left fans like myself uncertain about what the future holds for our beloved team. To be completely honest, I was not familiar with you before the announcement came, which adds another layer of uncertainty.
I hear that you grew up in Massachusetts, and are also a die-hard fan who bleeds green. You’ve shared your understanding of how important the Celtics are to the city of Boston, and noted how well Wyc Grousbeck has positioned this team to compete. You also stated your intentions to continue that quest for banners now and in the future.
As far as I’m concerned, you’ve said all the right things so far. It’s very encouraging to hear that you are taking the time to align goals with the current ownership group, as well as with Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, and the rest of the Celtics staff. Clearly, you’re aware of just how nervous all us die-hard fans are with this “changing of the guard.”
While you’ll never be able to appease every Celtics fan, (we can be a… passionate group, as I’m sure you already know) I’d like to share my thoughts on how you can make this fan happy with your new role.
2024 NBA Finals - Game Five Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images
We’ve all seen the disaster that the Dallas Mavericks have turned into after Mark Cuban relinquished his role as the majority owner of the franchise. The new ownership group seems to have jumped the gun in order to save some money, trading away their franchise cornerstone for an older and worse player because they didn’t want to get stuck paying their 26-year-old superstar a supermax contract, despite him having just led them to their first Finals appearance in 13 years.
While Luka may have his flaws, he doesn’t have many when it comes to basketball, and he was a beloved figure in Dallas, both for his skill, and for his contributions to the community. He’s undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the league today, and is easily on a Hall of Fame path. By almost all accounts, this move which was approved, and maybe even encouraged, by Dallas’s owners seems like one that was tone-deaf when considering the city and the sport.
Us Celtics fans understand that sometimes, tough decisions need to be made, and a great deal may show up that requires us to part ways with a fan-favorite. We’ve already seen it a few times over the last decade or so: Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce getting traded to the Nets; Isaiah Thomas to the Cavs for Kyrie, and, most recently, Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis. All of these trades hurt in the moment, but most fans could see the vision, and the moves provided us with a clear path ahead.
We’ve also come to trust the basketball genius of Brad Stevens, and all I ask is that you do the same. Having a hands-on owner who cares about the team is great, and it’s even better when they can acknowledge that there are people within the organization who understand basketball and team building at the most detailed levels. The best way to put this team in a position to succeed is by empowering them to make these decisions freely.
I understand that you spent a pretty penny to earn the privilege of commanding this historic franchise. If I were in your shoes, I probably wouldn’t want other people telling me what to do, especially if it was to spend a whole lot more money. But, as the saying goes, the Celtics are a way of life. This is bigger than personal touches; it’s about raising banners. That is the best way to cement your legacy within this franchise.
It’s not going to be cheap – not now, and not ever. It will be worth it, though. I ask that you put success over money, and I expect that you’ll see it pay off in the long-run as well.
Bridge near TD Garden named for NBA legend Bill Russell: ‘What a bridge does is bring people together’ Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
I also ask that you consider the character of the players when they are off the court just as much as you’d consider their skills when they are on it. Putting on those green and white jerseys means something, and it’s a privilege to wear them.
If you’ve been keeping up with the Celtics City documentary on Max, then I’m sure you understand that the Celtics have had a number of players in their history which were extremely active in their pursuit to improve their communities. Several members of our current roster continue to carry that mindset, and just as I asked you to empower the front office to make basketball decisions, I ask you to empower and encourage the players to make a difference outside of basketball.
Based on your introductory comments, it seems as though you know all of this already. I am excited and optimistic about this new era for the Boston Celtics, just as much as I am to learn about you and your involvement in leading us to success within the organization and the city of Boston.
Here’s to greatness, and a whole lot of banners!
Best regards,
A very passionate fan