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Fenway Sports Group and RedBird Capital Partners, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins and Liverpool FC (among other assets), is considering expansion into the NBA by purchasing the Boston Celtics.
And that would mean LeBron James, who got a roughly one percent stake in FSG in 2021 along with business partner Maverick Carter, could be part of the Celtics’ ownership group.
Josh Kosman of the New York Post reported the exclusive news.
“Boston Red Sox Owner Fenway Sports Group and RedBird Capital that partner closely with LeBron James are seriously considering bidding for the Celtics, sources close to the situation said.
“James, who still stars for the Lakers, could not be a part of Celtics ownership now, sources said.
“But with the sale being a two-step process — where 49 percent of the team isn’t sold until 2028 — he could easily still end up being an owner of the Lakers’ hated rivals as the 39-year-old should be retired by that time.”
The current Celtics’ ownership group, Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C., announced plans to sell the team shortly after the franchise won its 18th NBA title, per an official release: “The managing board of the ownership group expects to sell a majority interest in 2024 or early 2025, with the balance closing in 2028, and expects Wyc Grousbeck to remain as the Governor of the team until the second closing in 2028.”
When the Lakers were in Las Vegas for the In-Season Tournament final against the Indiana Pacers last December, James seemed interest in owning a team there someday.
A few days after the Lakers won that tournament, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski provided this report.
James made clear two months prior why he would want to own a team in Vegas specifically.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver
has said the league will turn to a “consideration of expansion” following the finalization of the new media rights deal. Ultimately, a Vegas team isn’t exactly imminent, although expanding there would certainly make sense with the city becoming a three-sport town soon when the Oakland Athletics move there in a few years.
But for now, James can’t be a Lakers player and Celtics part-owner, with Michael McCann explaining the details for Sportico.
But in the present, James is trying to lead Team USA to its fifth straight Olympic gold medal, with the team vying for that honor against France on Saturday.
