A letter to William Chisholm, the new majority owner of the Boston Celtics

Pricey William,

Information lately broke that your bid to buy the Boston Celtics has been accepted. As a lifelong Celtics fan, I might first prefer to congratulate you on carrying out what I think about was a childhood dream of yours!

As with every huge modifications, this switch of possession has left followers like myself unsure about what the long run holds for our beloved workforce. To be fully sincere, I used to be not conversant in you earlier than the announcement got here, which provides one other layer of uncertainty.

I hear that you just grew up in Massachusetts, and are additionally a die-hard fan who bleeds inexperienced. You’ve shared your understanding of how vital the Celtics are to the town of Boston, and famous how nicely Wyc Grousbeck has positioned this workforce to compete. You additionally said your intentions to proceed that quest for banners now and sooner or later.

So far as I’m involved, you’ve stated all the correct issues to this point. It’s very encouraging to listen to that you’re taking the time to align targets with the present possession group, in addition to with Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, and the remainder of the Celtics employees. Clearly, you’re conscious of simply how nervous all us die-hard followers are with this “altering of the guard.”

Whilst you’ll by no means be capable of appease each Celtics fan, (we could be a… passionate group, as I’m certain you already know) I’d prefer to share my ideas on how one can make this fan completely satisfied along with your new position.

We’ve all seen the catastrophe that the Dallas Mavericks have was after Mark Cuban relinquished his position as the bulk proprietor of the franchise. The brand new possession group appears to have jumped the gun as a way to avoid wasting cash, buying and selling away their franchise cornerstone for an older and worse participant as a result of they didn’t need to get caught paying their 26-year-old famous person a supermax contract, regardless of him having simply led them to their first Finals look in 13 years.

Whereas Luka might have his flaws, he doesn’t have many on the subject of basketball, and he was a beloved determine in Dallas, each for his ability, and for his contributions to the neighborhood. He’s undoubtedly one of the vital gifted gamers within the league right this moment, and is definitely on a Corridor of Fame path. By nearly all accounts, this transfer which was accredited, and perhaps even inspired, by Dallas’s homeowners looks like one which was tone-deaf when contemplating the town and the game.

Us Celtics followers perceive that typically, robust selections must be made, and an awesome deal might present up that requires us to half methods with a fan-favorite. We’ve already seen it a number of instances during the last decade or so: Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce getting traded to the Nets; Isaiah Thomas to the Cavs for Kyrie, and, most lately, Marcus Good for Kristaps Porzingis. All of those trades damage within the second, however most followers may see the imaginative and prescient, and the strikes offered us with a transparent path forward.

We’ve additionally come to belief the basketball genius of Brad Stevens, and all I ask is that you just do the identical. Having a hands-on proprietor who cares concerning the workforce is nice, and it’s even higher once they can acknowledge that there are folks inside the group who perceive basketball and workforce constructing on the most detailed ranges. One of the simplest ways to place this workforce ready to succeed is by empowering them to make these selections freely.

I perceive that you just spent a reasonably penny to earn the privilege of commanding this historic franchise. If I had been in your footwear, I most likely wouldn’t need different folks telling me what to do, particularly if it was to spend a complete lot more cash. However, because the saying goes, the Celtics are a lifestyle. That is greater than private touches; it’s about elevating banners. That’s the easiest way to cement your legacy inside this franchise.

It’s not going to be low cost – not now, and never ever. It will likely be value it, although. I ask that you just put success over cash, and I anticipate that you just’ll see it repay within the long-run as nicely.

I additionally ask that you just contemplate the character of the gamers when they’re off the court docket simply as a lot as you’d contemplate their expertise when they’re on it. Placing on these inexperienced and white jerseys means one thing, and it’s a privilege to put on them.

When you’ve been maintaining with the Celtics Metropolis documentary on Max, then I’m certain you perceive that the Celtics have had various gamers of their historical past which had been extraordinarily energetic of their pursuit to enhance their communities. A number of members of our present roster proceed to hold that mindset, and simply as I requested you to empower the entrance workplace to make basketball selections, I ask you to empower and encourage the gamers to make a distinction exterior of basketball.

Based mostly in your introductory feedback, it appears as if you realize all of this already. I’m excited and optimistic about this new period for the Boston Celtics, simply as a lot as I’m to study you and your involvement in main us to success inside the group and the town of Boston.

Right here’s to greatness, and a complete lot of banners!

Finest regards,

A really passionate fan