Celtics Expected to Surpass Suns Record

Mat Ishbia's purchase value of the Suns could be soon surpassed.

Mercury owner Mat Ishbia announces the Ring of Honor proceedings during the home opener at the Footprint Center on Saturday, May 18, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

PHOENIX -- A record that was set by owner Mat Ishbia in the process of his purchase of the Phoenix Suns could be eclipsed in the near future.

ESPN NBA insiders Tim Bontemps, Kevin Pelton, and Brian Windhorst delved into the proposition of NBA expansion - which has been expected to be inevitable for some time now. The report also lined up the rapidly rising values of franchises as a driving factor behind expansion.

"Two key things have perhaps tipped the scales toward expansion. First, franchise valuations are in an explosion cycle. The Minnesota Timberwolves were sold in 2021 for a $1.5 billion valuation... In the three years since, three teams have sold for more than $3 billion, including the 2023 sale of the Phoenix Suns for $4 billion."

They also shared a tidbit pertaining to why teams could ultimately be motivated to expand - the potential for a record sale in the league over the next several months, as Boston Celtics' governor Wyc Grousbeck announced the franchise would be put up for sale in July.

"Currently the Boston Celtics are for sale, and there are indications they could produce the highest price ever for an NBA team, a record currently held by Mat Ishbia's purchase of the Suns. That could even further reset the market, and that is a contributing factor in the NBA's decision to go slower on expansion and wait for that sale to happen, league sources said."

This news could have ramifications for the Suns on a number of fronts - expansion could lead to a Western Conference rival moving to the Eastern Conference, the consistent uptick of franchise values potentially gives the Suns more revenue sharing power in the long term, and Ishbia could be at the forefront of completely shifting the landscape of the league long-term.

Ishbia's purchase of the Suns from Robert Sarver in 2023 was quite daring - $4 billion for an NBA franchise had previously been unheard of prior to the move.

Despite the costly nature of the transaction, Ishbia has tripled down on being extremely aggressive as a roster builder - even in the age of the second apron in the league CBA.

Ishbia continues to set the standard for bold stewards in the modern landscape of sports - hopefully it will result in bringing the first Larry O'Brien trophy to Phoenix in the coming years.