Celtics Reportedly Set Price Tag For Upcoming Sale Of Franchise

The Boston Celtics are focused on their title defense as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference while the team’s impending sale remains in the works.

Wyc Grousbeck, the master controller behind Boston’s championship roster rebuild and retainment, is nearing the end of his run as team governor and owner. Grousbeck has seen the Celtics raise two banners, in 2008 and 2024, and is leaving the team in good shape for another few runs with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday all under contract — at least until 2026.

The Grousbeck family, attached to a 30% ownership stake, expects four first-round bids to be submitted by Jan. 23 with an expectation of the ultimate sale price reaching the $6 billion range, The Boston Globe’s Mike Silverman reported.

It’s been 23 years since Grousbeck, alongside Steve Pagluica and the rest of Boston Basketball Partners LLC purchased the Celtics for $360 million. They appointed ex-general manager Danny Ainge to assemble the Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett “Big Three” in 2008 before undergoing the rebuild that brought Tatum and Brown to Boston. Now, with Brad Stevens as the team’s president of basketball operations, the Celtics have a starting five that’s cost ownership over $900 million in contract commitments.

Stevens also signed reserves Sam Hauser to a $45 million extension and Payton Pritchard to a $30 million extension.

Boston’s next team owner, expected to inherit a 49% ownership stake in part of a tiered sale structure, will immediately assume the responsibilities of backing the front office work done by Stevens amid his four-year run at the helm.

The expectations that weighed over the team’s shoulders to deliver a championship last season haven’t gone anywhere, either.

Grousbeck has worked to take the distraction of the team’s upcoming transfer of powers off the floor with plans to remain involved, at some capacity, until 2028. In the meantime, Grousbeck also hasn’t turned off the green light, which allowed Stevens to pull the necessary strings to repolish the roster.

So while luxurious in price, the situation presented to the team’s next owner is of great quality. Stevens is among the brightest team executives in the sport, Tatum and Brown are in the prime of their respective careers and the championship window is open for the next few years. Very few teams in the league encounter a period as valuable as the one the Celtics have in front of them.

That also means making tough financial decisions, which to a degree, poses a potential worry to the fan base that waited nearly two decades for the capture of Banner 18. Maintaining a roster that this season costs over $500 million to maintain, is a tough task for any owner, no less one that’s immediately stepping in.

The final round of bidding, between two candidates, is expected to occur in February.