Celtics Rumors: Jeff Bezos ownership buzz, Steve Kerr done with Team USA, more

The Boston Celtics are in the middle of one of the most boring offseasons they could have possibly enjoyed. Following Banner 18, they brought back the same exact roster, drafted two players, and everything else stayed level. In this case, boring was a good thing.

But as August drags on and slowly warps into September, rumors will still be floating around. That’s where we come in.

1. Jeff Bezos might buy the Celtics

The only real change that came to light for Boston this summer is one that won’t take effect until four years from now. Wyc Grousbeck decided to sell the Celtics, and the latest buzz is that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is interested in buying the team.

Bill Simmons noted the rumor on a recent edition of his podcast. “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,” he said.

In addition, Simmons also noted that the NBA wants $6 billion for the Celtics, who are one of the most valuable organizations in all of sports. Bezos has very deep pockets, and according to Forbes, he is the second-richest man in the world. He boasts a reported net worth of roughly $195.8 billion.

Boston has one of the largest payrolls in the NBA, so bringing Bezos on board would, in theory, allow them to continue their title quests without worry of financial limitations (from an ownership perspective, not from a CBA perspective).

2. Steve Kerr departing as Team USA head coach

Though not directly a Celtics rumor, Steve Kerr’s link to Jayson Tatum during the 2024 Olympics is enough to make this report relevant to Bostonians.

Marc Stein of The Stein Line recently reported that Kerr will be stepping down as the head coach of Team USA following the squad’s gold-medal run in the Olympics this summer.

“Steve Kerr is not expected to continue as USA Basketball men's head coach after coaching in the Olympics and last summer's World Cup and serving as an assistant to Gregg Popovich at the 2019 World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics contested in 2021,” Steinw rote. “USAB is expected to choose either Miami's Erik Spoelstra or the LA Clippers' Tyronn Lue, both assistants to Kerr, as his replacement.”

3. Jayson Tatum using Team USA drama as motivation

Long-time Celtics reporter Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com spoke with an NBA veteran who has since moved into a front-office role about Tatum’s experience with Team USA this offseason. He is very excited to see Tatum’s response this upcoming season.

“It’s going to be really interesting to see how Tatum reacts to all of this,” he said. “From everything I’ve seen and know, he’ll use it as motivation. The great ones always do. They perceive slights even when they’re not there. [Michael Jordan] took everything personal. That’s how a great player becomes a beast.”

Hardwood’s latest: Time for a Payton Pritchard boost

In the latest Hardwood Houdini opinion piece, I detailed why the Celtics should be handing Payton Pritchard more responsibilities next season.

The 26-year-old point guard played an important role last year, but he’s capable of so much more. His shot creation, playmaking, and ball-handling went underutilized on a team with more talent than anyone in the NBA.

It makes sense why Pritchard wasn’t used as much as he could have been, but as the Celtics top six continues to age, they should prep the hungry point guard for a future where he’s more than just a seventh man on the roster.