New Celtics Owner Bill Chisholm Hints at Plans for Roster

Boston will owe a massive luxury tax bill next season. Will the team's new owner have the stomach to keep its core together?

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and guard Jrue Holiday (4) react in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics are currently slated to be on the hook for a historically massive luxury tax bill next season. Will the team's new owner have the stomach to keep its core together?

Earlier today, it was reported that Boston Basketball Partners LLC, an ownership group fronted by Bill Chisholm, had bought an ownership stake in the winningest franchise in NBA history for a record sum of $6.1 billion.

Chisholm is the managing director of private equity firm Symphony Technology Group, a California company that he co-founded.

Read More: Celtics Find New Owner in Record-Breaking $6.1 Billion Sale

In speaking with ESPN's Shams Charania, Chisholm seemed to suggest that he appreciates how good the team he's inheriting is right now. He made a point to shout out current majority owner Wyc Grousbeck, team president Brad Stevens, and head coach Joe Mazzulla as being imperative to Boston's infrastructure.

New Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm tells ESPN: "The team is in a great place right now, and I'm very sensitive to that. Wyc, Brad (Stevens) and Joe (Mazzulla) have done amazing jobs... My approach is to win and raise banners. That's in the near term and the long term." https://t.co/vbKeh9YfFq

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 20, 2025

"The team is in a great place right now, and I'm very sensitive to that. Wyc, Brad (Stevens) and Joe (Mazzulla) have done amazing jobs," Chisholm raved. "My approach is to win and raise banners. That's in the near term and the long term."

Read More: Boston Fans React to Massive $6.1 Billion Sale of Celtics

This is at the very least the absolute right thing for Chisholm to say, and the proper approach for him to take with his team.

Chrisholm: "I bleed green. I love the Celtics. When opportunity came up, I couldn't pass it up. Wyc has done an incredible job. So why would you mess that up? I've had a couple of sitdowns with Brad and it's been about aligning our goals, and extending the window of this team."

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 20, 2025

"I bleed green. I love the Celtics. When opportunity came up, I couldn't pass it up," Chisholm said of his decision to procure the club. "Wyc has done an incredible job. So why would you mess that up? I've had a couple of sitdowns with Brad and it's been about aligning our goals, and extending the window of this team."

Read More: Who is Bill Chisholm? Meet the Celtics' New Majority Owner

Next year, Boston will owe a whopping $262.2 million to its roster, $17.7 million above the league's punitive second tax apron. Seven of their top eight players are under contract, with only 38-year-old Al Horford (who turns 39 this summer) scheduled to hit free agency, although he could still be extended before the 2025-26 season officially kicks off in July.

According to Shane Young of Forbes.com, the Celtics will owe a combined $500 million in salaries and luxury tax obligations next year.

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For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.