The Boston Celtics are riding high. With a 9-1 record in the last 10 games and looking every bit like they’re going for a two-peat,  Mazzulla and his men couldn’t be happier. But lately, the biggest news out of Boston isn’t about what’s happening on the court—it’s about what’s happening in the boardroom. The team just changed hands in the most expensive sale in American sports history, and not even Jayson Tatum saw it coming.

The Cs’ ownership shift came at an opportune moment. Bill Chisholm, co-founder of Symphony Technology Group, has been a lifelong Celtics fan and has voiced his commitment to the franchise and the Boston community. And it was just a week ago that Chisholm officially took over from Wyc Grousbeck and Co., buying the team for a record-breaking $6.1 billion.

The Grousbeck family, for their part, cited “estate and family planning considerations” as their motivation, but selling at peak value was undoubtedly a factor. To put it in perspective, here’s something for you: The $6.1 billion price tag set a record for the most expensive sale of a North American sports franchise, edging out the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders in 2023.

While Bill stepped into his dream role, what that means for the team, though, remains to be seen. Tatum, at least, doesn’t expect things to feel too different—except for one surprising detail.

During his appearance in New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, Tatum revealed he didn’t even hear about the sale process until after the Celtics won the title. “The weirdest part was when I found out when the process was gonna start a few days after we won the championship. So that was a weird conversation,“ JT said.

“But you know, after that, you just start to understand the process, and, um, you know, the candidates and things like that. And I actually got to meet Bill last night. He came to Sacramento, him and his wife, um, you know, seem like great people. And, um, we’ve had a few conversations. So just looking to add to what we have, um, you know, obviously we have a really good thing going and, um, like where our culture is at,” he further elaborated.

Hilariously enough, when Jason quipped, “Celtics were just sold, right? … What was your cut?” Tatum played it cool, responding, “I won’t disclose that on this,” leaving Travis laughing his head off.

Off the court, though, the Celtics’ ownership shift is happening at a time when the team is also facing big financial decisions.

Celtics face a $400M question—is Kristaps Porzingis the answer?

Boston’s payroll is through the roof, projected to cost over $400 million next season, and with the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) tightening spending rules, changes could be coming.

Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Jrue Holiday are among the players whose futures might be in question. Porzingis, in particular, is a unique case. He’s been a game-changer when healthy, adding elite rim protection and three-point shooting that perfectly complements Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But his contract and injury history make him a wildcard in any future roster decisions.

As Hardwood Houdini’s Jack Simone put it: “Trading (Jayson) Tatum or (Jaylen) Brown doesn’t make much sense, as they are the pillars of the organization, and (Derrick) White’s age and skill set make him the ideal fit alongside those two guys. That leaves Holiday or Porzingis as the odd man out.”

With Jrue Holiday on the older side and ‘The Unicorn’ still in his prime, the 7’2″ Latvian could be a valuable trade asset. If Boston wants to avoid the financial squeeze, someone might have to go, and Porzingis could end up being the casualty.

For now, the Celtics are locked in on winning another championship. But with new ownership in place, a bloated payroll, and tough roster decisions looming, big changes could be on the horizon.

With new ownership, a stacked roster, and the salary cap closing in, Boston might have to make tough choices sooner rather than later. Whether Porzingis is part of that solution—or the sacrifice—remains to be seen.