Report: Celtics sale announcement 'shocked' Jayson Tatum

Report: Celtics sale announcement ‘shocked’ Jayson Tatum originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

On Monday, the owners of the Boston Celtics announced their intention to sell all of their shares in the team. The news caught many shareholders off guard, including Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Tatum was “shocked to learn of Wyc Grousbeck’s intention to sell his stake in the Celtics.” The 2024 NBA champion shared his thoughts on the team’s impending sale during his JT Elite camp in Las Vegas.

“As for the next owner, Tatum said he “hopes the foundation and the structure doesn’t change … what we’ve built, what we have, it’s a good thing. I don’t want things to change,” Mannix reported Tuesday.

At his JT Elite camp in Vegas, Jayson Tatum said @SInow He was “shocked” to learn that Wyc Grousbeck was planning to sell his stake in the Celtics. As for the next owner, Tatum says he “hopes that the foundation and the structure doesn’t change… what we’ve built, what we have, it’s a great…

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 2, 2024

Tatum’s stunned reaction is understandable. The Celtics are coming off one of the most dominant seasons in franchise history, which ended with Tatum and company bringing the elusive Banner 18 to TD Garden. Given the team’s success, a sale was the last thing on anyone’s mind heading into Monday.

If Tatum resists the change, he hopes Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca will be part of the next ownership group. In his own statement released Monday night, Pagliuca said he hopes to “be a part of the Celtics going forward and will be a proud participant in the bidding process.”

The sale of the Celtics is expected to begin later this year or early 2025, with owner Wyc Grousbeck ending his term as governor when the sale closes in 2028.

News of Grousbeck’s sale of the team coincided with Tatum signing a $314 million supermax contract extension with Boston.