After helping to lead the Celtics to an NBA championship — and then becoming the highest-paid player in league history — Jayson Tatum admits he was “shocked” to learn a chunk of the Boston franchise is for sale.
Wyc Grousbeck announced Monday his majority ownership group’s intention to sell its stake in the team, which came as a huge surprise to Tatum, the Celtics’ five-time All-Star forward.
“Hope the foundation and structure doesn’t change,” Tatum told Sports Illustrated at his JT Elite camp in Las Vegas. ”What we built, what we have, it’s a great thing. I don’t want things to change.”
The 26-year-old Tatum agreed earlier this week to a five-year, $314 million extension to become the league’s highest-paid player.
Celtics stars Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis all are under contract through the 2026-27 campaign.
Boston posted the best record in the NBA during the regular season (64-18), and the team barely was tested in the playoffs, winning 16 of 19 postseason games en route to the franchise’s 18th championship, the most in league history.
Grousbeck and partner Steve Pagliuca fronted the group that bought the team in 2002 for $360 million, but Sportico recently estimated the franchise’s current value at slightly more than $5 billion.
“The controlling family of the ownership group, after considerable thought and internal discussion, has decided to sell the team for estate and family planning considerations,” Grousbeck’s ownership group said in a statement.