Celtics’ Wyc Grousbeck No Longer Staying On As Lead Governor

Wyc Grousbeck will no longer stay on as governor as part of the Boston Celtics’ $6.1 billion sale to Bill Chisholm, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania and Romana Shelburne on Tuesday.

Wyc Grousbeck To Retain Title As CEO, Become An Alternate Governor

Grousbeck initially said while agreeing to sell the Celtics this spring that he planned to remain in control of the team through the 2028 season. Chisholm will now assume the title of governor.

Meanwhile, Grousbeck will retain his title as CEO and become an alternate governor when the sale is complete. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban took on the same title after selling his majority share in the franchise in 2023.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported in March that the agreement between Chisholm and Groubeck’s groups involved “a two-part sale in which Chisholm would acquire at least 51% of the team upon approval by the NBA’s board of governors.”

“I’ve had a couple of sit-downs with Brad and it’s been about aligning our goals, and extending the window of this team. The plans that Wyc and Brad [Stevens] have laid out make perfect sense to me,” Chisholm told Charania at the time.

Celtics Sale Expected To Come Within The Next Week

Grousbeck and his father put together a group of investors in 2002 to purchase the Celtics for $360 million. Boston won two championships during that span, one in 2008, and one in 2024.

During the sale announcement, Grousbeck said in a statement that Chisholm “has asked me to run the team as CEO and Governor for the first three years, and stay on as his partner, and I am glad to do so,” per Shelburne.

Charania and Shelburne reported that the sale of the Celtics is expected to come “within the next week.”

The Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen trades, the rebuild after trading Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets, and the drafting of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown all occurred under the Grousbecks’ ownership.

The Celtics have won an NBA record 18 NBA titles, trailing only the New York Yankees (27) and Montreal Canadiens (24) among all North American professional sports leagues.

Boston Has Reduced Its Payroll From $540 Million To $239 Million

Boston is not expected to make another deep playoff run this upcoming season after Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles’ tendon during the 2025 playoffs and the team traded away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.

The Celtics also reduced their payroll and luxury tax by a total of $50 million by trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr.

Boston dropped $1.7 million above the first apron and $10.2 million below the second apron. They also created an $8.2 million trade exception. The C’s saved $34 million in luxury tax penalties as well.

Since the 2025 NBA draft, Boston has reduced its payroll from $540 million to $239 million, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Following the Niang trade, the Celtics signed free agent forward Chris Boucher to a one-year, $3.3 million contract. The Toronto Raptors had decided to let the eight-year veteran walk this summer.

In addition, Boston retained a core of Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard. The C’s hope to reposition themselves as title contenders upon Tatum’s return.

The Celtics have made six of the last nine Eastern Conference finals.