Getty Jeff Green #32 of the Denver Nuggets.
The Boston Celtics are on the lookout for another center to give Al Horford and Robert Williams III. Although the Evan Fournier trade exception – which was valued at $17.1 million – expired on July 18, 2022, the Celtics still have the $6.9 million Juancho Hernangomez trade exception and the $5.9 million Dennis Schroder trade exception to potentially acquire a backup center.
One option mentioned by a Western Conference assistant coach was former Celtics player Jeff Green. While talking with Heavy’s Sean Deveney, the assistant said that Green’s versatility and progression would help the current Celtics.
“I think he’d do well in Boston if he went back. He can play a lot of positions for you. He’s a different player now than when he was there 10 years ago, and it’d be full circle for him.”
The assistant later went on to list what the pros and cons would be if the Celtics were to reunite with Green.
“He is too small to be the backup big they want, but he can play some 5 in today’s game. He has become an outstanding finisher at the rim. He did not shoot it well last year (from the 3-point line), but that was probably a one-off—he is 35-36, though, so you worry about him just hitting the skids. This is his 15th year, I mean.”
Green averaged 10.3 points and 3.1 rebounds last season while shooting above 52 percent from the field last season, according to Basketball-Reference. He has experience playing center, which includes playing 96 percent of his minutes at the five with the Houston Rockets in 2020, according to Basketball-Reference.
How good of an option Green might be as a backup center might not matter if Denver doesn’t want to trade him.
Trading For Jeff Green is Not Likely
Green is slated to make $4.5 million during the 2022-23 season, so he would fit into either of the two trade exceptions mentioned above. However, the assistant coach does not believe that a trade is likely to go down between the Celtics and the Nuggets.
“I can’t see the Nuggets letting him go. He has settled in there pretty nicely. If there is a setback with (Jamal) Murray or some injury to someone else and they try to dump some guys, maybe then he is on the market.”
With the numbers he put up last season, there’d be no reason to give Green up if he keeps up that level of production. However, Green could have some competition in Denver’s frontcourt for playing time this coming season.
On top of having the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, young scorer Michael Porter Jr. will be back from back surgery, and he’ll be competing for minutes with Green, Aaron Gordon, and the newly siged DeAndre Jordan. If Green gets phased out, then he could potentially see himself on the trade market.
If that were the case, Boston could get involved since they have been interested in reuniting with Green in the past.
Celtics Have Recently Shown Interest in Jeff Green
During the 2021 NBA Offseason, Adam Himmelsbach reported that the Celtics were interested in reuniting with a few previously departed Celtics, with Green being among them.
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In Himmelsbach’s own words, Green was believed to be a target because the Celtics would “prefer to pursue a player with extensive experience and are focused on adding size and shooting.”
On January 12, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirmed that the Celtics were interested in a reunion with Green again, this time via trade.
The Boston Celtics have expressed interest in re-acquiring forward Jeff Green, league sources told HoopsHype. Green was coached by Brad Stevens in Boston.
While it’s clear that Stevens has been interested in Green in the past, it remains to be seen if he currently does now or what role he could see Jeff playing were he to be traded to Boston.