Brad Stevens knew what he had in Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca. There was a synergy there and a structure that empowered the Boston Celtics' president of basketball operations to thrive. A change in ownership threatened that arrangement.
Grousbeck is staying on board as a "significant" owner of the franchise. However, Bill Chisholm holds the majority stake and serves as the team governor. He has final say and gets to run the operation as he sees fit.
Fortunately for Stevens -- and the Celtics -- at his introductory press conference, while discussing his philosophy on running an organization, Chisholm shared that in all of his business ventures, he has been a firm believer in the benefits of collaboration.
"It's a consensus-based approach to being patient," Chisholm told Hardwood Houdini about his approach as majority owner. "Ultimately, it's kind of being self-aware in terms of what your strengths and weaknesses are, and surrounding yourself with people that are the best of the best. The way the decisions have been made here to date, that's what you're going to see going forward as well, where those basketball decisions, Brad is driving that, for sure."
Brad Stevens' reassurance
Chisholm's message sounded great. However, Stevens needed more than lip service to know what the Celtics' change in ownership will mean for him.
"I think anytime you have [a] major change, the first thing is, well, what will that change do to your day-to-day, right? Voiced Stevens. "And I could [not] care less about me, but like the 65 people that work here, [team president] Rich [Gotham] has 100 plus people that work downtown; you're more concerned about that than anything else.
"And I think from day one, in meeting Bill and his group, the humility, the care, the passion, was not just shown in the words, was not just shown in showing up at games or being in the front row. It was like, 'Hey, you're empowered to do your job.' And more so, again, for everybody in this building."
Chisholm's showing Stevens he was genuine in his trust in the franchise's president of basketball operations, who had already assembled a championship roster, to do his job as he sees fit, effectively assuaged concerns entering this newfound partnership.
"Anytime you go through a significant change like that, I think that's your first -- you know -- and you're in some position of leadership, that's your first concern," said Stevens. "That was answered with flying colors from day one, and that's really all I cared about. So, listen, we know that we're going to have hard decisions to make from a roster standpoint. We know we're always going to have change. There's always going to be hard times, there's always going to be great times, but you just kind of, you get through those things together, and feel very supported that we're all together."
That unity, coupled with empowering and trusting people in positions like Stevens, breeds organizational stability. It's essential to the growth of a franchise. And if Chisholm is to see the Celtics return to the mountaintop during his time as their majority owner, it's a needed trait; just as it was during Grousbeck and Pagliuca's time at the helm, which saw two NBA championship banners raised to the TD Garden rafters.