Report: Celtics sale announcement ‘surprised’ Jayson Tatum, originally published on NBC Sports Boston
On Monday, the Boston Celtics ownership group announced plans to sell their entire stake in the team, news that surprised many, including Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum.
Tatum told Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix that he was “shocked” to learn that majority owner Wyck Grousbeck had “intent on selling his stake in the Celtics.” The 2024 NBA champions shared their thoughts on the team’s impending sale while speaking at the JT Elite Camp in Las Vegas.
“Regarding the next owner, Tatum said, ‘I would like to see the foundation and structure remain the same… What we’ve built, it’s great. I don’t want things to change,'” Mannix reported Tuesday.
“It’s a big part of what I’ve been doing,” Jayson Tatum said at the JT Elite Camp in Las Vegas. Follow He said he was “shocked” to learn that Wyck Grousbeck intended to sell his stake in the Celtics. As for the next owner, Tatum said, “I would hope that the foundation and the structure stays the same… what we’ve built, it’s great…”
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 2, 2024
Tatum’s stunned reaction was understandable: The Celtics had just come off the most dominant season in franchise history, one that ended with Tatum and company bringing the legendary Banner 18 to TD Garden. Given the team’s success, no one was even considering a sale until Monday.
If Tatum resists change, he may want Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca to be part of the next ownership group. In his own statement released Monday night, Pagliuca said he “looks forward to being part of the Celtics moving forward and being a proud participant in the bidding process.”
The Celtics’ sale is expected to begin later this year or early 2025, with owner Wyck Grousbeck’s term as governor ending in 2028, when the sale is completed.
News of Grusbeck’s sale of the team came around the same time Tatum signed a $314 million supermax contract with Boston.
