Bill Chisholm led the long-awaited, jaw-dropping sale of the Boston Celtics, which totaled out to a record-breaking $6.1 billion — the most ever spent on a North American sports franchise. However, the Massachusetts native might not be done.
Chisholm, a private equity investor and the managing partner at Symphony Technology Group cleared up the biggest question that’s loomed over the Celtics for the past eight-plus months: who will take over the reins for Wyc Grousbeck? Alongside Chisholm, came Rob Hale, a current Celtics shareholder, and Bruce Beal Jr. Chisholm is a self-acclaimed lifelong fan of the C’s, a graduate from Dartmouth College, and was deemed a “great” and capable candidate in the words of Grousbeck himself.
Yet, Chisholm might be in the market for some more assistance before getting acclimated with the most winningest franchise in NBA history.
“Chisholm may still be looking for more investors. He offered one billionaire the opportunity to buy a stake in the team Thursday, according to the billionaire,” Kerry Dolan of Forbes reported Saturday.
The 56-year-old is taking on arguably the biggest challenge among all NBA owners. Grousbeck and team president of basketball operations Brad Stevens have worked tirelessly to keep Boston’s championship sustainable for a multi-year period — and it’s come with a cost. The Celtics have a current projected payroll of $230 million, which when impacted by the $315 million supermax contract signed by Jayson Tatum, could skyrocket that figure to over $500 million next season.
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That’s not exactly enticing for a first-time team owner. Not to mention, the pressure of living up to the precedent of maintaining the league’s most expensive roster, set by Grousbeck. Tatum and co-star Jaylen Brown have already experienced the glory of bringing the Larry O’Brien trophy once to Boston, and through Grousbeck’s urgent leadership, the team is poised to do so again this season with a favorable chance again next season.
Nobody within the organization wants to give that up. Grousbeck and Stevens already rewarded Tatum and Brown — and the fans — with a shiny new Ferrari, so it’s hard to imagine how Chisholm could explain downgrading the entire franchise to a preowned Toyota Sienna. The league is up for grabs and teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers are hungry.
Los Angeles revived its fan base’s optimism by acquiring Luka Doncic, Oklahoma City has channeled its inner Danny Ainge by successfully stockpiling draft selections and Cleveland rewarded its NBA-leading 40 wins at the deadline — adding De’Andre Hunter in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks and then signing Javonte Green from the buyout market.
Filling Grousbeck’s shoes is no easy feat for a laundry list of reasons, and fellow owners across the league have also expressed their doubts in Chisholm.
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“I have no clue who he is,” an anonymous NBA owner told the New York Post’s Charles Gasparino. “This doesn’t add up.”
Chisholm won’t be alone through the early stages of his introduction to NBA ownership. Grousbeck will remain an influential member of the franchise — by continuing to perform his current duties — throughout the 2027-28 season, which should relieve all potential worries amongst the fanbase and organization in the meantime.
The deal is expected to officially close this summer.