Celtics New Owner Reaffirms Goals After $6.1 Billion Sale: 'We're Playing For Championships'

New Boston Celtics majority owner Bill Chisholm has asserted that, despite the team's summer moves to the contrary, Boston is angling to add to its NBA-record 18 titles under his stewardship, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

“We’re not playing for second; we’re playing for championships and banners,” Chisholm said. “We’re playing for them in the near term, although we obviously had to do some things to get below the second apron. But we’re also playing for them in the medium and long term.

Chisholm had to acknowledge that Boston team president Brad Stevens was making money-conscious moves this summer, effectively breaking up the championship core that had gone 125-39 across the past two regular seasons and won the 2024 title.

Boston Offloaded Key Components of Its Championship Core This Offseason

Stevens shipped out All-Defensive Team guard Jrue Holiday and center Kristaps Porzingis in separate deals. Holiday was flipped for guard Anfernee Simons, a notorious sieve on defense who's a solid scorer.

Porzingis was moved to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team exchange with the Brooklyn Nets. Initially, Boston brought back a second-round pick and stretch four Georges Niang — who had grown up a Celtics fan in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Niang and two future second-rounders were later offloaded to the Utah Jazz for two-way rookie wing RJ Luis Jr.

“The second apron means you can’t do it by just throwing money at the problem,” Chisholm added. "You have to do it with talent, you have to do it with leadership, and with Wyc and with Brad and [president Rich Gotham] and [coach Joe Mazzulla], I feel like we have the best leaders in the league.”

Boston also waived point guard JD Davison and let third-string center Luke Kornet walk in free agency to back up All-Star center Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs.

Sixth man power forward/center Al Horford was offered a veteran's minimum deal effectively as a courtesy. He is waiting for the Golden State Warriors to sort out the new contract of restricted free agent power forward Jonathan Kuminga, but is then expected to sign with the team that beat his Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals.

The Celtics have brought in free agents Chris Boucher, Luka Garza, and Josh Minott to replace their roster absences, and drafted three players in June — although only one, wing Hugo Gonzalez, has cracked the club's 15-man standard roster so far.