Getty Danny Green #14 of the Toronto Raptors leaves the court after the Raptors win Game Seven of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers.
After a flurry of moves just prior to free agency where we saw president Brad Stevens pull off multiple trades, as well as numerous reports linking the Boston Celtics to a handful of high-end talents, the team has been missing in action ever since they’ve been permitted to negotiate with players.
While it may not be the big-name splash that Celtics fans may have been hoping for, it looks as if the team could finally be on the verge of signing their first new addition of the summer — or at least in the running to do so.
Representatives for Boston, along with the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans are among those that have “reached out” to sharpshooting veteran Danny Green. This, according to Harrison Sanford of NBC Sports Philadelphia, who also happens to be Green’s co-host on the Inside The Green Room podcast.
Sanford added that Green has also spoken with the Philadelphia 76ers “multiple times” over the past 24 hours, but noted that as of now, “the sides are nowhere close to a deal.” Green, 34, spent this past season in Philly after being acquired from Oklahoma City in a Thunder trade package highlighted by now-Celtics big man Al Horford.
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Green Has Ties to Celtics Staff
Boston looks to have a theoretical leg up on some of the competition when it comes to obtaining Green’s services. As Sanford highlighted, his prior relationship to Celtics head coach Ime Udoka could potentially sway the 12-year NBA veteran’s decision.
Green spent eight of his first 10 professional seasons in San Antonio, during which he hoisted the first of his three Larry O’Brien Championship Trophies. Also along for the ride for the Spurs’ 2013-14 championship run was Udoka, who served as an assistant on Gregg Popovich’s staff from 2012-2019.
It’s worth noting that Green has ties to Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer as well. Like Udoka, the reigning NBA Champion coach was also an assistant on Popovich’s staff during Green’s tenure in San Antonio.
Championship Pedigree
While by no means a superstar, Green has a history of accompanying superstars through their NBA title quests. The first example of this was in San Antonio alongside Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard. He then followed Leonard to Canada, helping the Toronto Raptors become the first non-American team to win a championship in any of the four major North American sports leagues since the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993. Most recently, Green served as a puzzle piece during the Los Angeles Lakers‘ bubble-run on their 2020 championship team.
Should Green not re-sign with Philadelphia this offseason he’ll likely be joining his fourth different team in as many years. With that said, his veteran savviness and lethal shooting from beyond the arc make him an easy insertion in nearly any lineup. A career 40.1% 3-point shooter, Green knocked down 40.5% of his attempts from deep this past season. He also chipped in with 9.5 points per game while still delivering as a serviceable defender on the wing.
Over his career, the New York native has appeared in 751 regular-season games (681 starts), averaging 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest. He also has mounds of postseason experience under his belt, as you could likely expect, starting 147 of his 153 career playoff games.
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