The Boston Celtics are sitting on top of the basketball world, fresh off a dominant season that has them preparing to hang their 19th championship banner. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have the team gearing up for another deep playoff run, and the vibes in Boston couldn’t be better.
But while the players are handling business on the court, a massive power shift is happening behind the scenes. Wyc Grousbeck, the longtime face of Celtics ownership, is stepping aside—at least partially. A record-breaking $6.1 billion sale is in motion, and private equity giant Bill Chisholm is set to take the reins.
Here’s the real question: Can Chisholm keep Boston’s winning machine rolling while managing the most expensive roster in NBA history? And what does Adam Silver think about all of this? Buckle up—because this Celtics ownership saga is just getting started.
Let’s start with the number that’s making even the richest NBA owners sweat: $435 million. That’s what the Celtics are projected to pay in payroll and luxury tax for the 2025-26 season, second only to the Phoenix Suns’ terrifying $526 million estimate. And here’s where it gets even wilder: with Jayson Tatum set to sign a $314 million deal, Boston could soon become the first $500 million roster in NBA history.
This isn’t just about spending money—it’s about navigating the NBA’s brutal second apron penalties. Going over that threshold means losing key tools to build the roster—no mid-level exceptions, no first-round pick flexibility, and no trading cash in deals. The message is clear: if the Celtics want to add talent, it’s going to get really complicated. This is the financial storm Bill Chisholm is walking into.
Boston’s ownership shift made headlines when Wyc Grousbeck agreed to sell a majority stake of the Celtics for a staggering $6.1 billion. That number? The biggest sale in NBA history, even surpassing the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders.
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES
But here’s the twist: Grousbeck isn’t leaving just yet. The plan is for him to stay on as CEO and Governor until 2028, giving Chisholm time to transition into his role. Sounds smooth, right? Well, maybe.
A similar situation happened in Dallas when Mark Cuban sold his stake in the Mavericks. At first, Cuban made it seem like he’d still have control over basketball operations, but within months, new owner Patrick Dumont started making his own big moves, including sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers in a blockbuster trade.
Naturally, people started wondering: Could Boston’s situation play out the same way? Adam Silver doesn’t think so. “I think the situation was very different in Dallas,” Silver explained. “There was a clear change in control of the franchise to Patrick Dumont and his family. Any decision as to what Mark’s role would be in basketball operations was a function of an arrangement to be made between Mark Cuban and Patrick.”
Silver wants it to be crystal clear—this Celtics sale isn’t the same as Dallas, and for now, Grousbeck is still calling the shots.
But when those massive financial decisions start rolling in, will that still be the case?
Bill Chisholm’s billion-dollar Celtics balancing act
Chisholm isn’t some billionaire buying a team just to flex his wealth. He’s a Boston native, a die-hard Celtics fan, and the managing partner of STG Partners, which oversees more than $10 billion in assets.
But running a private equity firm is one thing. Running the most expensive team in NBA history? That’s a whole different challenge.
Boston is already looking at a $233 million payroll next season, and by 2026, their luxury tax bill could skyrocket past $280 million. Even with the NBA’s expected revenue boost from its new TV deal, this is uncharted financial territory.
And here’s where things get even trickier—NBA ownership rules aren’t exactly private equity friendly.
Currently, investment groups like Sixth Street Partners (one of Chisholm’s key backers) can own up to 20% of an NBA team—but they can’t own more than the controlling owner, who must personally hold at least 15%.
That means Chisholm has to keep his ownership percentage above a certain threshold, limiting his ability to offload shares if things get complicated. And according to NBA insiders, those rules aren’t changing anytime soon. “Silver said there was no discussion at all of changing the rules governing sales,” reported Tim Bontemps. “A private equity group like Sixth Street can own 20% of a team. They also can’t own more than the person that’s the controlling owner of the team, which has to own at least 15%.”
So while Chisholm might be a master of high-stakes financial maneuvering, he’s now dealing with NBA regulations, second-apron headaches, and a roster payroll that won’t stop climbing.
Welcome to Celtics ownership.
Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks in a press conference during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Right now, everything in Boston looks picture-perfect. The Celtics are NBA Finals favorites, their championship core is locked in, and they have an owner who isn’t afraid to spend big.
But history has taught us that money problems don’t show up overnight—they creep up slowly and then hit all at once. The Suns are already feeling the pain of their spending spree, struggling to build depth behind Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.
Could Boston find itself in the same situation down the line?
That’s the biggest question facing Bill Chisholm. If he can navigate the financial minefield and keep this team in championship contention, he’ll go down as a Celtics legend before he even steps foot in TD Garden as the official governor. But if the second apron forces tough roster decisions, fans might look back at this sale as the moment Boston’s dynasty window started to close.
One thing’s for sure—owning the Celtics has never been more expensive, and the stakes have never been higher.
The post Adam Silver Clears Stance on Wyc Grousbeck’s Celtics Role as 9-Figure Loss Looms for Bill Chisholm appeared first on EssentiallySports.