{"id":209333,"date":"2025-08-02T17:59:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T17:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/209333\/"},"modified":"2025-08-02T17:59:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-02T17:59:11","slug":"wnbas-connecticut-sun-sold-to-celtics-minority-owner-could-move-to-boston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/209333\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA\u2019s Connecticut Sun sold to Celtics minority owner, could move to Boston"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Sun source said the Mohegan Tribe has been looking to move on from the WNBA team, and two<\/a> sellout games<\/a> at TD Garden the past two years encouraged ownership to look for a Boston group. Several Sun players lauded the atmosphere, TD Garden amenities, and the city during their visits.<\/p>\n

A potential sale must be approved by the WNBA and the league\u2019s governors, and according to a source, the WNBA would rather save Boston as a potential expansion city in 2033. The league has already announced expansion teams<\/a> in Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia over the next five years.<\/p>\n

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has long campaigned for a WNBA team<\/a> in Boston and told the Globe she supports any efforts to move the Sun here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been pushing for years for Boston to get a WNBA team; I think it would be great for Boston,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd that would be great for the WNBA and we saw that for a second year in a row, a sellout crowd at TD Garden. I\u2019ve been at this for a couple of years. I also think it would be great for the Connecticut Sun to move to Boston and represent all of New England.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are the hub of New England and the place that basketball was invented. I think it makes a lot of sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sun have played in Connecticut since 2003, when they relocated from Orlando. The franchise has emerged as one of the WNBA\u2019s finest, reaching the Finals four times (most recently in 2022), but enthusiasm has declined in recent years. Mohegan Sun Arena is the league\u2019s fourth-smallest venue and the Sun lack a dedicated practice facility, instead conducting workouts at the gym inside the Tribe\u2019s community and government center. Often, the Sun are forced to share space with summer camps and other local events.<\/p>\n

This past offseason, the team opted for a major rebuild, allowing its entire starting five to sign elsewhere while coach Stephanie White departed to coach the Indiana Fever<\/a>. The Sun, despite Friday\u2019s win<\/a> over the defending champion New York Liberty, have a league-worst 5-21 record with new coach Rachid Meziane<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Last week, the Sun sent a letter to season ticket-holders assuring the club will play at Mohegan Sun Arena in the 2026 season. The Boston group is targeting a 2027 move and would potentially play early season games in Providence<\/a> to avoid any conflict with Bruins and Celtics playoff games.<\/p>\n

The WNBA has yet to comment on the potential sale.<\/p>\n

According to an NBA source, the Celtics would have no issue with the Sun moving in. Several Celtics players have attended the Sun games at TD Garden and have expressed support for a team in Boston.<\/p>\n

With the entries of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and former UConn star Paige Bueckers, the WNBA is in a surge of unprecedented success. The expansion Golden State Valkyries have sold out all 11 home games at Chase Center, also home of the NBA\u2019s Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n

Healey said she has had conversations with WNBA and NBA officials over the years about a Boston team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know the quickest way to get a team to Boston is for the Sun to move to Boston,\u201d Healey told the Globe. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t want to wait [until 2033]. I don\u2019t want Boston or New England to have to wait that long. We\u2019ve got an incredibly enthusiastic, energized base here that wants to see a \u2018W\u2019 team in Boston and to me this seems to be in everybody\u2019s best interests.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pagliuca, whose bid to buy the Celtics<\/a> from the Wyc Grousbeck group fell short, has sought to bring a WNBA team to Boston for the past few years. His group aggressively pursued the Sun when the Tribe indicated it was open to a sale.<\/p>\n

A WNBA source said if the league forces the Mohegan Tribe to sell to a Connecticut-based buyer to keep the team in the state, which it has the power to do, Mohegan will cooperate, but the Tribe\u2019s choice is to sell to the Boston-based group. That source said the Tribe has determined selling the franchise would be the most financially lucrative move, and it could then concentrate on running its casino and hotel.<\/p>\n

\"SunSun guard Saniya Rivers signs autographs before Connecticut’s game at TD Garden in July.Heather Diehl\/For The Boston Globe<\/p>\n

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe<\/a>.<\/p>\n