PHOENIX — Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has been given a strong stamp of approval from new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm publicly in recent days after his group agreed to purchase the team for a record $6.1 billion.
Stevens spoke with Chisholm and his wife Kimberly at length Monday night before the Celtics’ win over the Kings in Sacramento. He discussed those recent interactions with Chisholm since the sale announcement at the team’s shootaround on Wednesday in Phoenix.
“Obviously, seems like a great person and seems super excited about the C’s,” Stevens said. “He has always been a big fan and it was nice to — I met him a couple weeks ago when all the finalists were coming through and then talked to him on the phone real briefly before going out to Sacramento. sSo I haven’t spent a ton of time with him, but everything that I’ve had a chance to do with him, I really enjoyed it. Look forward to working together.”
While Stevens spoke highly about the future working with Chisholm, he also reflected on members of ownership that won’t be moving forward with the Celtics, including co-owner Stephen Pagliuca. The long-time owner was one of the four finalists for the team but was outbid by Chisholm’s group.
“I think Joe mentioned this and I think some of our players have too,” Stevens said. “There’s also like, all the people that we’ve had a chance to be fortunate enough to work for in my first 12 years here that have owned the team for the last 20 plus. Wyc [Grousbeck] is sticking around, but then also Pags’ group. I mean that’s hard when you see those relationships not be a part of it. I’m just really thankful that we’ve got a chance to spend time with all those people and we’re really looking forward to working with Bill and his group.”
Pagliuca released an eye-opening statement after the Grousbeck family announced the sale to the Chisholm group, highlighting how he thought the offer was better than Chisholm’s amid reports of tension with co-owner Wyc Grousbeck.
“We made a fully guaranteed and financed offer at a record price, befitting the best sports fans in the world, and with all the capital coming from individuals who are fully committed to winning on and off the court,” the statement read. “We had no debt or private equity money that would potentially hamstring our ability to compete in the future. We have felt it was the best offer for the Celtics.”
Chisholm expects to attend his first Celtics home game since the sale announcement on next Wednesday against the Heat, at which Stevens expects to have more expansive conversations with the new group.
“We really haven’t had a chance to talk much,” Stevens said. “We’ll see him when he comes to Boston next week and look forward to it. He and Kimberly seem great and again we’re all really looking forward to working with him.”
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