After unanimous approval from the NBA Board of Governors, Bill Chisholm finally took control of the Boston Celtics on August 19. “This truly is a dream come true for me and my family,” Chisholm said after the sale became official. This also means that Wyc Grousbeck, who owned the 18x NBA champs for 23 years and was supposed to continue as the governor through 2028, will not serve as the controlling owner anymore.

Notably, Grousbeck’s take fell below the 15% minimum required to retain the title. And with this major change at the leadership level comes a big question: will the new ownership be able to live up to the decades old legacy in New England? Evan Valenti of the Celtics Beat podcast dives deep into why Grousbeck’s continued presence matters.

“There’s just not many teams that have been, you know, the pillar of the NBA like the Celtics have been, right?” said Evan Valenti. “One thing about Wyc staying around that I think is important is because I think the Celtics kind of care more about keeping this like running legacy of people involved with the team from, you know, the earlier days of Boston… I think having Wyc around sort of gives you this sense of security of like, no, the Celtics are a—this is a family.” Grousbeck was never just an owner. He helped Boston hang Banner 17 and Banner 18. He understood that the true Celtics culture requires continuity.

And now, as he slides into a lesser title, Chisholm is being watched, not just for wins and losses, but for reverence. Gary Washburn put it bluntly: “You want to keep that brand. You want to keep that value, right? Uh, $6.1 billion. You want to keep that, you know, that Celtics logo. I mean, that’s—that’s valuable. People live and die with that… You’ve got to welcome the legends. That’s what Boston is based on. Guys coming back, you know, once a Celtic, always a Celtic.”

For Chisholm, a Massachusetts native with a reported net worth of $3.2 billion, the ownership transition is a dream realized. But dreams, especially in Boston, come with responsibilities. 

Torrey Craig parts ways with Boston

While the front office made headlines shedding salaries to dip below the second tax apron, moving off Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis, the Celtics also quietly parted ways with veteran swingman Torrey Craig. Without a press release, or a farewell, in silence. Craig joined Boston in February after a buyout with the Bulls. He appeared in 17 regular season games and five playoff matchups. The numbers were modest, 2.7 points in 11.8 minutes per game, but his presence loomed larger off the stat sheet.

At 6’7”, with years of postseason grit and defensive credibility, Craig brought professionalism and leadership. He returned to the Auerbach Center after the season with his son Braylon to stay in shape and support Jayson Tatum through rehab. Craig felt he hadn’t made the impact he had hoped for after joining the team mid-season. He acknowledged that, in hindsight, he wishes he had done more. “I wish that I could have made my presence felt a little bit more… You always wish you could do more and have done more, especially looking back, and that’s the feeling that I leave with, especially after coming up short,” he said. 

Boston appears to have quietly decided to move on, The Celtics have roster space, but younger, cheaper players are getting the nod. Craig, now a free agent, likely won’t be back. Another legacy cut loose in the silence of offseason strategy.