Chisholm Sets Championship Standard as New Celtics Majority Owner
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The Boston Celtics unveiled their updated ownership structure on Tuesday, introducing William Chisholm as the organization’s new majority owner and governor.
Chisholm’s investment group purchased controlling interest from the Grousbeck family in a transaction valued at $6.1 billion. Standing alongside alternate governor Wyc Grousbeck, the incoming lead executive said the franchise’s ambitions remain unchanged despite looming luxury-tax restraints.
“We’re not playing for second; we’re playing for championships and banners,” Chisholm told The Boston Globe. “We’re playing for them in the near term … and in the medium and long term.”
Second-Apron Strategy
The Celtics cut salary to slip below the NBA’s newly instituted second apron, a threshold that significantly limits roster moves for big-spending teams. Chisholm acknowledged the restrictions but argued success will hinge on personnel and leadership rather than an open checkbook.
He singled out team president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, president Rich Gotham and head coach Joe Mazzulla as pillars of that strategy, while pointing to Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard as emerging locker-room leaders.
Grousbeck Remains in the Fold
League rules require a governor to hold at least a 15 percent stake, leaving Grousbeck short of the title he previously carried. Nevertheless, Chisholm said the longtime executive will continue to play a prominent role in decision-making.
“When it became clear the governor title wasn’t available because of math, Bill said, ‘Then we’re just not going to use that word around the office,’” Grousbeck noted. “That tells you how focused he is on what’s best for the team. We’re shoulder to shoulder.”
Mazzulla’s Next Test
Both owners voiced support for Mazzulla, who recently signed a multiyear extension. Chisholm called the upcoming season the coach’s toughest challenge yet, adding that he is eager to see how Mazzulla performs without what he described as a “loaded team.”
“I have every confidence he’s going to crush it,” Chisholm said.
Source: Hoops Wire
