Ishbia brothers, who own NBA's Suns, emerge as potential Twins buyers

Mat and Justin Ishbia are reportedly interested in purchasing the Twins from the Pohlad family.

Feb 8, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia (right) and brother Justin Ishbia pose for a photo during an introductory press conference at Footprint Center. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia and his brother Justin are interested in purchasing the Minnesota Twins from the Pohlad family, according to reports from Bloomberg and The Athletic on Friday.

Mat Ishbia, who is the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, purchased the NBA's Suns in December 2022, with Justin as part of the ownership group. His net worth is estimated at around $10 billion, while Justin's is north of $5 billion. The two have not been afraid to spend and make splashy moves since taking over the Suns; just three days after the NBA approved Ishbia's ownership, the franchise traded for Kevin Durant.

Two months ago, the Pohlad family — led by current executive chair Joe Pohlad — announced its plans to explore selling the Twins after 40 years of ownership. The family purchased the franchise from Calvin Griffith for $44 million in 1984. Recently, the Twins have been estimated to be worth somewhere in the $1.5-$1.7 billion range. The Baltimore Orioles were the last MLB franchise to be sold, going for $1.725 billion in March.

Justin Ishbia, who would reportedly be the controlling owner, is the founder and managing partner of private equity firm Shore Capital Partners, which is based in Chicago. According to Bloomberg's report, he "has been meeting with local community leaders across the state to learn more about the community and the opportunity to carry on the Twins legacy." He's had "a longtime interest in owning a professional baseball team," per Bloomberg.

The sale process is reportedly expected to take around six months, so a new ownership group likely won't be in place until after the start of the 2025 season. The Ishbias are the first group to be reported as serious potential buyers of the franchise.

If their interest comes to fruition, it would likely be great news for Twins fans, considering the current ownership group slashed payroll prior to the 2024 season. The Ishbia brothers' track record suggests they'd be a lot more willing to spend money to put a high-quality product on the field.

One reason #MNTwins fans should be very excited for this possibility: Friend of the Ishbia family described them as "go big or go home." https://t.co/V1N8JAg3dO

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) December 13, 2024