The Boston Celtics were put up for sale by the Grousbeck family shortly after the team won the 2024 NBA championship. The Celtics Group purchased the franchise for $360 million in 2022 and looks set to make a significant profit off its investment when it eventually finds a buyer.

According to Bill Simmons, who was speaking on a recent episode of The Bill Simmons podcast, Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos could emerge as a strong suitor for the franchise. Forbes has Bezos listed as the second richest man in the world, directly behind Elon Musk.

“The Celtics themselves, the Grousbeck family, the dad of the majority owner Wyc is driving the sale,” Simmons said. “He’s 90, he’s a legend, he’s going to (get) 25 times what he paid for the team, and he just wants the highest price, he’s not like, ‘Oh these local guys, let’s cut them a deal.’

 

He doesn’t care, he wants the biggest price he could possibly get. In the last few days there’s been some legitimate buzz about Jeff Bezos buying the Celtics and I think it’s real, I think he’s going to be one of the suitors.”

The Celtics project to have the most expensive roster in NBA history, including luxury-tax payments. That bill is set to continue rising as multiple contract extensions kick in over the next two years and the repeater tax begins to take hold.

However, Boston is also positioned to be at the top of the NBA for the next five-to-seven years. As such, any potential new owner must have deep enough pockets to eat the incredibly high payroll or risk the wrath of a rabid fanbase by tearing down a team capable of becoming a dynasty. It’s highly unlikely a new ownership group would take the latter approach if it values what the fans bring to the table.

Therefore, Bezos is the ideal candidate to purchase the franchise. He can easily afford to keep the current core together and could even help build a new arena once the current lease on the TD Garden expires. He has the financial ability needed to lead the most storied franchise in one of the biggest sports leagues on the planet.

Celtics fans could do a lot worse than the second-richest man in the world.