Jeff Bezos Interested In Buying Top NBA Franchise, Insider Says

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly interested in buying the Boston Celtics , NBA insider and lifelong Celtics fan Bill Simmons claimed on the latest episode of his podcast released on Monday (August 19).

SImmons, who was joined by author Chuck Klosterman , made the claim while discussing the Grousbeck family's plans to sell the Celtics, which were made public after the franchise won its league-record 18th NBA championship in June.

“In the last few days there’s been some I think legitimate buzz about Jeff Bezos buying the Celtics, and I think it’s real. I think he’s gonna be one of the suitors,” Simmons said. “Which got me thinking, why would Jeff Bezos, when he’s looking at the Celtics, what is he seeing? What does he want? I think the only way it makes sense — I mean, granted, he has a gajillion dollars — but it’s one of the crown-jewel franchises, right? That’s why you get it. To him it’d be no different than if he bought this famous, gigantic, $300 million yacht. But I think it’s real that he’s potentially in the mix for this.”

Simmons claimed that the NBA wants the Celtics to be sold at a targeted fee of $6 billion.

“It’s a crazy price, but they’re probably gonna get it,” Simmons said. “They want the $6 billion because they want an expansion teams in Seattle and Vegas — and Mexico City’s kind of looming as the third team — but they want to get $6 billion apiece for the two franchises for expansion, which would mean a check of $400 million to every NBA owner, all 30.”

Bezos, whose net worth is valued at $196.7 billion, making him the second-highest person in the world, was previously rumored to be interested in purchasing the Washington Commanders, who were eventually sold to Josh Harris and a contingency that reportedly "outbid" the Amazon founder, according to the Financial Times . The Celtics' ownership announced plans to sell the team "for estate and family planning considerations," with the expectations that a new majority owner would purchase the franchise either this year or next and the remaining ownership percentage would be sold in 2028.

Wyc Grousbeck , who took over as the Celtics' governor for his father, Irv , said he plans to remain in the same role until the franchise is fully sold in four years.

“The expectation is to sell the time in two parts with 51 percent going fairly soon, 49 percent then closing in second closing. That’s the expectation in 2028,” Grousbeck told CNBC in July. “I’m planning or expecting to stay on until 2028. We’re going to hire bankers and advisers. This is going to be quite the bidding process.”