On August 10, Beijing time, according to an exclusive report by the New York Post, Lakers star LeBron James is expected to eventually become the owner of the Celtics in the future. According to people familiar with the matter, Fenway Sports Group, owner of the Boston Red Sox, and RedBird Capital, which is close to James, are seriously considering bidding for the Celtics.

James is still with the Lakers, and he can't become the owner of the Celtics now, but since the sale of the Green Army is a two-step process, and the sale of 49% of the team's shares will not be completed until 2028, by which time James should have retired, he could eventually become the owner of the Celtics.

The Celtics are seeking a record $6 billion sale price, the sources also said following reports that James, Fenway and RedBird Capital are working to bring NBA teams to Las Vegas.

Having more than $1 billion in assets since 2022, James has made no secret of the fact that he wants to follow in Michael Jordan's footsteps and own a team (Jordan sold a controlling stake in the Charlotte Hornets in 2023) and said last October that he wanted to build a team in Las Vegas. If the consortium turns to the Celtics in the coming weeks, it may abandon the idea of going to Las Vegas.

Stephen Pagliuca, a longtime minority shareholder of the Celtics, said last month that he wanted to make a bid for the team. According to an exclusive report by The Washington Post, in 2017, he made a serious offer to buy the Nets, but lost to Joe Tsai. Pagliuca already owns about 20% of the Celtics.

Separately, Julia Koch and her three children — David Jr., Mary and John — acquired a 15% stake in the Nets in early June. Foreign media said that the Celtics were unexpectedly sold in a few weeks, which may make the Koch family regret it.

The Celtics became NBA champions for the 2023-24 season, and after re-signing stars Jayson Tatum and Derrick White this offseason, the Green Army's total salary and luxury tax for the 2025-26 season are expected to reach $513 million.