“Paul Pierce is ready to throw his hat in the ring.” The former Celtics star was right on with the banter there. Or it’s a hint towards a big opportunity. As all the Celtics fans speculate about the prized franchise announced to be on sale, Pierce’ The Truth Lounge Show shared a post on Instagram captioning the same. Interesting just how things can change in a matter of a few weeks.
A little over a month ago, Celtics’ long-time owner, Wye Grousbeck, made his appearance on the Truth Lounge to drop his stories of purchasing the franchise. An eye-catching segment for the present times? “It’s not for sale,” Grousbeck had stood strong on his statement, shutting down the 2008 champion. But about 5 weeks in, all narratives have changed.
Paul Pierce sparked the possibility of putting the franchise on sale, pointing out the growth the Celtics has witnessed in valuation. When Grousbeck had purchased it back in 2002, Celtics was valued at $360 million which now stands at $4.7 Billion. He seemingly brought it up to test out, what seemed like the Celtics’ owner’s previous “love, not money,” remark. As soon as Pierce touched the topic with a suspicious look on his face, Grousbeck was quick to reply, “Paul I’m sorry, It’s not for sale”.
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Pierce then created a hypothetical situation to learn how long Grousbeck would hold on. “What if Elon Musk be like I got $10 billion.” And Wyc Grousbeck replies, ” I don’t think He (Elon Musk) knows if a basketball is blown up or stuffed.” Nonetheless, Pierce started increasing the offer: “$20 Billion!”, “$30 Billion!” And Wyc Grousbeck humbled him by saying, “c’mon it’s not for sale”. Unfortunately, that doesn’t hold true anymore.
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Potential buyer’s name surface for the Celtics
The Boston Celtics’ ownership group revealed its plans to sell the franchise through a post on X on Monday. The ownership family reasoned the sale of its share stating, “for estate and family planning consideration.” However, the sale is reported not to be completed until 2028, leaving Wyc Grousbeck as the Governor until then. The majority stakes on market, nonetheless, have called upon a few prospects.
Tyler Milliken from 98.5 The Sports Hub hinted at John Henry’s interest in acquiring the Celtics by sharing a story screenshot back from 2021, where he showed his interest in acquiring an NBA team. Henry owns significant stakes in the Boston Red Sox, and could potentially double down on his investment in Boston; even though Henry’s tenure at the Red Sox has left mixed feelings among fans. Nonetheless, he has been high on the probability list, having also owned Pittsburgh Penguins and Liverpool FC.
Regardless, Grousbeck is looking for someone who can carry the momentum forward for the Celtics. According to The Associated Press, Wyc Grousbeck stated they are “committed to finding a worthy incoming ownership group who will guide the Celtics to more decades of success.” And the process will be,“thoughtful and thorough”.
Both on and off the court, Celtics have dominated the NBA. And key player extensions in recent times, such as Derrick White’s four-year, $125.9 million deal and the record-breaking five-year, $314 million extension for Jayson Tatum, highlight the Celtics’ commitment to excellence.
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Will Celtics achieve greatness or they will fumble in the future? What is your opinion, comment down to let us know.
Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.
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