Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C., the controlling ownership group of the Boston Celtics, announced plans Monday to sell the team.
The sale is a result of the Grousbecks, the controlling family in the group, “deciding to sell the team for estate and family planning purposes,” according to the statement. The family expects to sell a majority interest in the team by the end of 2024 or early 2025 and complete the sale of their shares by 2028, the statement notes.
A statement from the Boston Celtics pic.twitter.com/DqArzkGnR5
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 1, 2024
This has to be the weirdest move of the NBA offseason and it does not even include a player or front office change. The Celtics just won their record-breaking 18th NBA championship, their first since 2008, and ownership immediately turned around and decided to sell the team.
Personally, I would think that a championship, especially the first in such a long time, would reinvigorate ownership. I would think it excites them to see the win and make them hungry for more, but that is not the case here. The Grousbecks could feel like they eclipsed their purpose in owning the Celtics through this championship and no longer feel the need to carry the burden of owning the franchise.
Either way, this is a massive change for the Celtics. Organizational philosophy and tone can live and die by the owner and new leaders could mess up the Celtics for years to come if they are incompetent or even simply less competent than the Grousbecks. (RELATED: Mikal Bridges Reunited With Villanova Teammates In Trade To Knicks, Nets Pile Up Swath Of Draft Picks: REPORT)
The “for sale” sign is up and it is time to see who is interested in writing a $5.1 billion check to help define the future of Boston basketball.
