Despite some speculation to the contrary, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has no plans to bid on the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics, per Sports Business Journal.
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The outlet cited a source in reporting that there's "zero truth" to the idea Bezos is interested in putting in a bid.
The majority ownership stake in the Celtics will be up for sale over the next few years after the team won its 18th title. Bill Simmons of The Ringer linked Bezos to the Celtics earlier this week.
Current Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck is putting up 51% of the team for sale now and the remaining 49% around the time he resigns as the team's owner in 2028.
"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," Simmons said on his podcast. "I think he's gonna be one of the suitors. Which got me thinking, Jeff Bezos when he's looking at the Celtics, what is he seeing? What does he want? And I think the only way it makes sense is that it's one of the crown jewel franchises.
"That's why you get it. To him, it would be no different than if you bought this famous gigantic $300 million yacht but I think it's real that he's potentially in the mix for this."
Along with Bezos, no less than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James also has been linked to a potential purchase of the Celtics.
The NBA champs have hired JPMorgan and BDT & MSD Partners to begin the sales process.
"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," wrote Josh Kosman of the New York Post. "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."
(This article was originally posted on Hoops Wire and republished with permission.)
