ANALYSIS: Celtics ownership beginning to change

ANALYSIS: Celtics ownership beginning to change

All right, it’s hour number three. Felgar and Mass. Felgar here come to you remotely. Michael Holly is in for mass. Big Jim Murray is in our update studio in our town fair studios in Waltham. That was Wick Geck earlier this off season welcoming Bill Chisum to the family which was odd since Bill Chisum just bought the team from Wick Geck’s dad. So, uh it’s all just a way of getting into the news that came out today. Pers Shams and others. Wick is out as of today. Wick Grossbach will no longer stay on as governor as part of the Celtics $6.1 billion sale to Bill Chisum. Sources tell me and Raander Shelbourne. Plan had been for Gr to remain through 2028. Chisum assumes governor title and the transfer will be finalized soon. And uh I I’ll just say first and we play that sound and we have other cuts where it’s just it’s they’re going on and on about Wick Gross remaining on as governor of the team through 28. And part of the transition is that Wick still runs the team even though Bill Chisum owns the team for another 3 years to which most of us said are you effing stupid? Like why do they go through that charade? Why would you out there believe that for one half second? Why is Bill Chisum going to allow Wick Grossbeck to spend his money when he just bought the team? That’s ludicrous. It doesn’t work that way. I don’t know why they go through the charade of pretending like it works that way. But everyone knew that this day was coming when it was first announced. And they didn’t even go through the charade of Wick Gross sitting in the front row pretending like he was still the governor because that was never going to happen. And so here we are. It hasn’t happened. I don’t know. Mike Holly or Jim, you have a thought? Yeah, I mean Mike, uh, exactly. First, let’s let’s start with just the common sense part of it. If you lead if you lead a group of investors and it’s a $6.1 billion transaction, it’s a 61 $6.1 billion uh deal. There’s no way. I don’t care. You could be the the you could be the most magnanim magnanimous person, the most altruistic person out there. There’s no way you’re going to say, “Hey, yeah, yeah, you run the you run the deal.” Okay, I spent all this money, but I want you to do it. So, that’s one, that doesn’t make a lot of sense. But two, here’s the thing. Here’s a little caveat today that really brings it home. It’s illegal. The NBA doesn’t allow you to do it because if you can’t do that unless some that person has at least a 15% stake uh in the franchise. Oh, I didn’t even know that. So, so did did Cubans still have 15% when they cuz they started that way in Dallas, too? You can’t do it. You’re not allowed to do it. So, I don’t think you would do it. But even if you would do it, you’re not allowed to do it on on a bigger scale. The NBA just doesn’t allow that to happen. So, what we have is Bill Chisum, ready or not, baby, here it is. You’re on the clock. You bought the team. You’re the lead guy. You’re the governor. And and I’m sure Wick will be a part of the franchise, but this is Bill Chisum’s not not where it matters, you know? Well, it’s like with Mark Cuban and the Mavs. I mean, this is what what’s kind of following. Like, he’s around. I think they give him a key card, but, you know, you’re kind of on the pay no mind list. You don’t have any real say. You can, you know, still sit in the front row and be around, but like you don’t get to do anything. And this is just following that is what it feels like to me. Yes. And and I’m not sure, you know, if would he be in charge of some things? I I don’t know what they would be, but they’re not you’re not in charge. He never was going to be. Anyone who thought he would have is nuts cuz he’s a fan like us, right? Exactly. Cuz you bought because you just don’t think critically about anything. Let me ask you this. But but I mean like the the it would come the the number one thing is are you a taxpaying team and how much are you willing to pay in tax? They were going to be that payroll between payroll and taxes were going to cost him half a billion dollars. Are you saying that that was Wick’s decision to spend Bill Chisums? No. I mean, who could possibly believe that? That was always going to be Bill’s call, Bill Chisum’s call, whether whatever their titles were. So, so here we are. Can I give you the latest spin? Ramona Shelburn just had a tweet that came out a couple of minutes ago. Yeah. Uh, according to multiple multiple league sources, while Bill Chisum will technically be the Celtics governor, he and Wick Grosbeck plan to run the team together as originally planned. Hold on. But with Chisum as governor and Grosbachec as alternate governor and CEO, the change in structure was due to league rules, including minimum ownership. Sources said GB will end up owning slightly less than the required 15% given final funding for the transaction. Operations of the team should remain consistent with Brad Stevens and Rich Gotham continuing to run basketball and business operations. Okay. So together, yeah, it’s like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Oh, it’s just perfect. It’s such garbage. It It was It’s one of the reasons Wick sold it to Chisum because he felt he’d still have a seat at the table, which is what Wick wants. He still wants to walk around like he owns a place, which he never did. But he loves the role. And who wouldn’t? You know, what’s not to like? You get to spend your dad’s money and walk around like like you’re the guy. I guess that’s I guess who wouldn’t fall into that trap? But boy, does Wick fall into that trap. Give me a break. And he still wants to do it. And Chisum’s going to let him do it. If if if if they were so intent on Wick having a seat at the table, why not give him 15.5%. Right? Why not give him 15.1%? There’s a way to there’s a way to do this. There’s a way around it. Let me ask you this. Let me ask you guys this. Do you think uh I I can understand why why Wick would want to stay for all the reasons you said. He he loves the spotlight. He loves, you know, those courtside seats and the shots of Wick there. You know, there’s a big Celtics run and he’s standing up and he’s high-fiving people. Why do do the Celtics think that Celtics fans need to hear this? Is Is that why they they made such a big deal? Good question. Like I mean I I can’t Maybe you’re a Celtics fan. Is that Does that make you feel better? Okay, Bill Chisum’s going to take over, but Wick Gmeck is going to be the guy making decisions for three years. How does that help you as a Celtics fan? It’s a good question. I mean, I don’t know. Like Wick Gbach was the best fake owner I ever saw. I mean, he didn’t own it, but he played the part like any fan would want their owner to play the part. He was invested. When they got good, he spent through the nose. It was just about championships. He spared no expense. He paid for every role player and every, you know, last remaining piece to get over the top. He maxed out his best players. Uh, and he, you know, em the emotional support was there. the the investment was there. It just turns out it wasn’t his money. So So he was a fake owner. He he wasn’t the owner. He was just playing the owner. I’m telling you from from both sides of it, Mike, you had Wick who was like sometimes people say, you know, I’m not really uh I’m not really the owner. I’m the custodian of this. You know, I’m just He really was. No, no, no. He acted like it was his. He was But he was a great custodian who who uh we all thought was the owner. We forgot we knew like when they first bought the team it was it was Irv Gback and others and we just kind of forgot about Irv. So Wick was great as big the front-facing guy who didn’t own it and wouldn’t you love to have an owner like Irv Geck who was like it wasn’t about he I don’t think he gave a single interview. No, it was just like hey the money the team is here the team is going to spend money. We got a new practice facility. We’re not crazy with our coaches. We don’t uh we don’t hire and fire coaches uh overnight. We really have stability. He was really everything you would want an owner to be. And he did. He never sought the spotlight. So what are you talking about? Right. Exactly. If if you’re a Celtics fan, Murray, are you nervous? Oh, yeah. How can you be? I mean, it feels like they’ve kind of stripped this thing to the bone and now the guy that you most relate to because he seemed like these, you know, he really cared. Like that was genuine. Now he’s gone too. It feels like a fire sale right now. The whole the whole team the whole team Mike I mean you think about it. All right so we know Porzingis Holiday you know Horford all the pe all the people who moved on now you’ve got Pags out. You’ve got uh Wick out. I mean it’s it’s really you want to talk about a team that needs an identity. You don’t know what the identity of the Celtics is from any angle, from ownership or on the court. And it’s a good point. The previous owners really could not have you could not have asked for much more as a fan whether you’re talking about the fake owner, the guy who pretended to be the owner in Wick Gross or the real owner the way Irv carried himself. And Mike is a good point. Eagleless, but obviously invested and let his son be the face of it, but just good, solid, sound, consistent decision-m over the tenure of their ownership. And when they were good, they spent. When they were worthy, they were taxpaying teams and did what it took. And so whether it was the fake guy out front or the real guy behind the scenes, it’s hard to get much better than those guys were at the end of the day. Add it all up. You’re enjoying calling him a fake owner. Oh, he was such a fake. Don’t you think he was such a fake? At the end of the day, you love the fake owner. Well, and and you know what? He deserves it because he’s the example of the guy that was born on third and thinks he hit a triple. You know, there’s nothing wrong. You can’t help where you’re born and and if you’re born into a great situation, Jonathan Craft, and you convey that as in, you know, I’m I’m lucky to be here. I was put in a spot that not many people were, you know, have been afforded the the the the the grace of being here. It’s lucky that I’m here and I’m humbled by it. I’m humbled by it and I acknowledge it and you carry yourself with a certain humility. then what I you know you can’t help who you’re born to and if you’re born to a rich powerful guy and you take over the business and do a good job with it and you wear it that you know I’m in this position because of where I was born then I don’t no problem but when you walk around like you like you created the thing and it’s your deal and you know you you all know what I’m saying born on third and you think you hit a triple we know the guy and you got to admit that’s Wick Gross And it’s too And it’s too bad because the guy who w who’s not like that just got got iced out. He got boxed out. That’s pags. And and by the way, I like Wick and he’s been good to me and I I hate to dump on him like that, but I I just got to I got to tell it like it is. I mean, so I you know, the truth is the truth. He didn’t own the team, but he acted like he did. And but either way, I think he did a good job and his father did a good job and they were good owners. and the next guy, they can’t possibly be as good. Like, it’s going to get worse cuz I don’t know how it could be much better than it was under those guys. They could they could have the they could my I’ll just say this. They could have the will to be just as good. But this already from the start like you want to talk about a first step. Your first step of ownership, what a disaster. Your first step of ownership is You think this has been a disaster this off season? Yeah, your your first step of ownership is talking about the second apron and you’re not the only team talking about it. I understand. But you take over as owner and we’re saying goodbye to Drew Holiday and Porzingis and Tatum is hurt and Al Horford uh is trying to decide between retirement or going somewhere else but not necessarily back to you. I mean really it it is they’re making the trades that they make are salary dumps. let’s just call it what it is because they’re trying to balance the books and they’re trying to get a certain um they’re trying to get a a certain bottom line for tax purposes. That’s not this is not the the fireworks that you want as a new owner. Okay. Well, let’s your thoughts 617779095. I’m glad to hear you say it. Well, I mean, how can you I mean, it’s I mean, once you get out of the aprons, which they’re on their way out of, it is just about money and bottom line and margins and all of that. And that’s what they’re doing now. And that’s what feels like they’re not even done doing this. Simon’s kid, he’s gone. You, you know, he’s gone. And so, it’s like, so that’s the start for the new ownership.

Felger and Mazz, with Michael Holley filling in for Mazz, react to news about Bill Chisholm taking over as governor of the Boston Celtics.

Thumbnail photos courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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