Inside Bill Chisholm’s Celtics Revolution: What Can Fans Really Expect in Year One?
How do you think Bill Chisholm will do in his first year as owner of the team? — @loganlavallee17 on IG
All that said, we love the idea of Pritchard in the starting role. Every time the Celtics have thrown more on his plate, he’s gobbled it up. There’s little reason to believe he wouldn’t do the same in starter minutes. If Anfernee Simons sticks on the roster, we’re intrigued what he can do as a volume scorer off a new-look bench.
Making money is important and Chisholm has tough decisions to make, including the long-term arena plan for a team that doesn’t currently own its building. But it feels like the Celtics are in good hands with someone that genuinely wants to see the team continue to thrive.
Maybe the Celtics will need to ponder the potential benefits of a lottery pick if things go awry this season. But, out of the gates, the plan should be to see what this group can do. There is still way too much talent here for us to believe that Boston isn’t a playoff team. Maybe injuries and depth issues change that outlook, but we’re pretty bullish on a team that’s helmed by a Brown-White-Pritchard triumvirate.
The bottom line is that there’s a whole bunch of opportunity for players throughout the roster and, starter or otherwise, maybe the most intriguing aspect of camp is going to be seeing who grasp that opportunity.
We think there is a 100 percent chance that Tatum is going to attack his rehab with a relentless energy and a desire to beat whatever the generally accepted timeline is for an Achilles rehab. The team 100 percent put Tatum in the best possible position to do such by getting him into surgery just hours after the tear, and with a surgeon known for his expertise and advancements in Achilles repair.
I am not 100 percent sure it is in the best interest of the team to put Tatum back on the court this season. I am also 100 percent not a doctor. If he rehabs to the point where it is both safe and beneficial for him to return to NBA action, then why procrastinate? But the state of the team, at the point Tatum might be ready to compete again, could dictate whether that’s a prudent decision.
Let’s see where that takes this group. But our general theme heading into her 2025-26 season is no limitations. Not on Tatum’s rehab, not on the potential of a new-look group.
August is almost over. We’ve just about navigated the quietest month on the NBA calendar (Brad Stevens’ ceaseless roster tinkering, notwithstanding). And while we’re in no rush to wave goodbye to summer, the influx of pumpkin-spice products and way-too-early Oktoberfest beers is a firm reminder that basketball season can’t be far off.
They were fans, just like the rest of us.
If Chisholm follows the same road map, he’ll be just fine. He is taking over at a somewhat awkward juncture, both with the Celtics having to tear down the expensive roster that delivered Banner 18, and All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum rehabbing from Achilles surgery.
It feels like we’re going to have to tackle this question every mailbag this season so let’s not dance around it.
Like any new owner, there will be a natural desire for Chisholm to put his imprint on a new investment. But he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to tinker with what’s worked here. The power structure basically remains intact as he slides into the big chair. Those at multiple levels of the organization that met with Chisholm during the transition process came away raving about his overall enthusiasm for the new gig.
Back in 1986, the Celtics went public. The ownership group at the time sold off 40 percent of the franchise generating million by selling 2.6 million shares at .50 per share. My dad, like any opportunistic Celtics fan, bought in. Probably just a singe share. But a few times per year, mail would show up at the house with updates on his investment with “Boston Celtics Limited Partnership” inscribed on all the documents. That the stock basically plummeted in the aftermath of his purchase didn’t matter. My dad owned a (teeny tiny microscopic) piece of the Celtics and, to this little kid, owning the Celtics seemed liked the most amazing gig in the world.
We think this year’s team could give off 2016-17 Celtics vibes. A spunky group that out kicks ever prognostications. The absence of championship-or-bust expectations ought to let the returning members of the championship core play free.
One of our favorite memories of the Brad Stevens era came right after the Celtics acquired Jae Crowder in December 2014. As the Celtics engaged in a relentless roster churn, Crowder basically pinned Stevens against a wall after a practice and asked him if he was OK with losing. Stevens was adamant that tanking wasn’t even a consideration and the Celtics wanted to win games. The Celtics finished 40-42 that season and earned the 7th seed in the East. That team got swept in Round 1 by LeBron James and the Cavaliers, but that season set a tone that allowed the team to truly launch in the aftermath.
Before we answer your question, a quick story:
So let’s dust off the Celtics Mailbag and see what’s on your mind:
As summer fades into a crisp, pumpkin-scented nostalgia and the buzz of offseason whispers starts to hum louder, the Boston Celtics find themselves perched on the edge of change and anticipation. August might be winding down — along with the quietest stretch of the NBA calendar — but basketball fever, that unmistakable pulse, is revving back to life. With a fresh ownership chapter unfolding and Jayson Tatum’s determined rehab casting a hopeful shadow, Celtics fans have plenty stirring beneath the surface to chew on. It’s time to crack open the mailbag, sift through your burning questions, and peek behind the scenes of a team balancing legacy, transition, and a fiercely guarded future.
Which is to say that Chisholm is now living the dream of every kid ever born in New England, or whatever part of the world you happen to bleed your green. He paid slightly more than my Dad for his majority stake but Celtics fans ought to be thrilled that someone with roots here is at the helm. In our brief interactions since Chisholm emerged in the bidding process, it’s clear just how much of a fan the entire Chisholm family is of Celtics basketball, and he surely understands the responsibility that comes with being the person with the final call on all decisions about the team.
While we were on vacation we saw a post on X asking Celtcs fans which newcomer they were most excited about. Can we submit a vote for Josh Minott?
Which Celtics newcomer are you most excited about? — Celtics Twitter
Stevens has routinely put a high value on winning and the message that focus sends to a team.
Mazzulla will be able to mix and match when the team gets on the court in September. Maybe certain combos have better chemistry. Like any overhauled roster, there should be experimentation to figure out what gives this team the best opportunity to succeed.
Even before the official transfer of power this week, we had spent a lot of time thinking about what Celtics fans ought to yearn for from a new owner. We were spoiled by the Banner 17 consortium helmed by Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca. They hired smart decision-makers and largely stayed out of their way. They were visible but not in your face in a Jerry Jones-type way. They spent big money whenever the team was positioned to contend. They always kept their focus on the next banner.
Right now, the focus ought to be on getting better every day. Tatum might have even coined the perfect rallying cry for Celtics fans in a recent video update when he noted the grueling nature of the initial rehab but optimistically declared that there are, “Better days ahead.”
Is it best for the Celtics to attempt to make the playoffs, or rest Tatum the full year and get into lottery? — @brad_ted on IG
How do you envision the initial starting lineup, with top 5ish guys all being wings/guards? — @sammy_hall5 on IG
🔊 Celtics Talk Podcast: Payton Pritchard on Celtics’ summer changes, NBA’s new heave rule and Kyrie wanting to swing on him | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
We’re intrigued by the new ownership group. Aditya Mittal, one of the team’s new alternate governors, showed off his deep pockets with a reported billion dollar investment. Bruce Beal has Boston roots and pro sports experience with a minor stake in the Miami Dolphins. Robert Hale brings familiarity from the last ownership group. Mario Ho is a lifelong Celtics fan.
Our only advice to the Chisholm family would be to stay off social media, tread cautiously when listening to sports radio, and don’t read the YouTube comments. There are invariably going to be fans (and pundits) that don’t take the time to educate themselves on the new NBA landscape and the prohibitive nature of a punitive new collective bargaining agreement. They’ll simply stomp their feet and scream loudly about cost-cutting moves. They’ll invoke Chisholm’s private equity background without stopping to acknowledge the fact that salary cuts were coming regardless of who was at the helm heading into the 2025-26 season.
Odds that Tatum comes back this season? — @captainmike617 on IG
For now, we’re content to cling to the small glimpses of Tatum’s journey and the progress he’s clearly making.
If the Boston Celtics were forced to play an exhibition game on September 1 and Joe Mazzulla foolishly asked me to submit the starting lineup, I’d go: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta. My general thinking: The remaining pieces from your championship core get first crack at starter roles this season.
With less than 500 total minutes over three seasons in Minnesota, we really don’t know what the still-only 22-year-old is capable of. We love his blend of size, athleticism, and relentless motor. The Lawn Mower is a stellar nickname. On a team that needs size, we’re intrigued to see if Minott can distinguish himself.
Chisholm can trust that Stevens, Mike Zarren, and Boston’s creative front office squad will chart a fast track back to contender status. We think it will be good for Chisholm to have Grousbeck around, too. Why not learn from someone who saw a bunch of peaks (and a couple valleys) over 23 years at the helm?
It feels like the team’s reluctance to 1) Set a firm timeline and 2) Formally rule Tatum out for the 2025-26 season, even after a team like the Pacers did just that with Tyrese Haliburton, seems to suggest a desire to avoid putting any limitation on the rehab process. I thought team president Rich Gotham summed it up best when he recently noted, “What I know about JT is he’s going to do everything he can to put us in a position to make a decision.”
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