The Celtics’ previous management is stepping down sooner than anticipated.
Boston’s owner, Wyc Grousbeck, will not continue as the team’s governor following the sale of the franchise to businessman Bill Chisholm for $6.1 billion, according to ESPN.
Originally, Grousbeck had planned to stay on board until the end of the 2027-28 season.
It seems he will remain as CEO and transition into a different governor role once the sale is finalized.
A report from March, which highlighted the record-setting sale of the Celtics in NBA history, suggested that Grousbeck would serve as governor for the next three years.
He had initially requested ESPN to confirm this but has since indicated that plans have changed.
Grousbeck, who is 64, made the decision to sell the team after a disagreement with his 91-year-old father, Irving, regarding the team’s salary structure following their championship win in 2024.
The team is expected to need a budget of around $500 million to $600 million for the upcoming 2025-26 season. This offseason will have to include managing payroll, with trades involving veterans like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers.
Chisholm is likely facing challenges, as his initial Celtics roster may not fare as well as the recent strong lineups, particularly with star player Jason Tatum likely out for the season due to a torn Achilles sustained during the playoffs.
This leadership change in Boston stands in contrast to the situation in Los Angeles, where Lakers heir Johnny Buss will stay on as team governor for the next five seasons after majority ownership of the franchise was sold to businessman and Dodgers owner Mark Walter at an impressive $10 billion valuation.
Team president Rich Gotham believes the Celtics can still emerge as a competitive team next season, buoyed by stars like Jalen Brown and Derrick White.
“You’ll see teams striving for victory. Personally, I don’t expect us to be a consistently winning team this year,” Gotham remarked last week.
