Jeff Green Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics Rumors: Green, Signings, Bremer

August 22nd, 2012 at 9:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jeff Green said it best a few hours before the long-awaited news of his official signing with the Celtics was announced, taking to Twitter with an emphatic "FINALLY!!!" The 6'9" forward signed a one-year, $9MM deal with the team before last season, but it was voided when doctors discovered he had an aortic aneurysm. Surgery to correct the heart problem forced him to miss the entire season, and after agreeing to a contract last month that gave him four years at the same annual salary he would have made under the deal that was voided in December, Green is poised to return to the Celtics at last. There's more on Green tonight, as well as a few other notes concerning the team that wears green:

A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com says the Celtics are counting on Green to outperform his contract the way Rajon Rondo has done since signing a five-year, $55MM extension in 2009. Blakely also observes that Danny Ainge, the team's president of basketball operations, left the door open for additional moves between now and training camp. "I don't know the answer to that," Ainge said, when asked whether Green's signing would end offseason business. "It depends on what opportunities are out there, but I like where we are right now."
It's unclear exactly what delayed the official announcement of Green's signing, but Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com believes the hangup could have revolved around whether to add a contract clause related to his health, as well as more common snags related to contract value and length. There's no word, at least not yet, about the deal including some kind of out for the Celtics if Green has more heart trouble.
The agent for guard J.R. Bremer says his client will make a decision soon about which overseas team to sign with, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Bremer, now 31, started 41 games for the Celtics in 2002/03, but hasn't played in the NBA since 2003/04.

Celtics Sign Jeff Green

August 22nd, 2012 at 6:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

6:02pm: The Celtics have officially announced the signing on their website, finalizing the deal more than six weeks after an agreement was reached.

“We are thrilled to be able to have Jeff back with the Celtics,” Danny Ainge, the team's president of basketball operations, said in the press release. “Jeff’s versatility on offense and ability to guard players out on the perimeter is something that we are looking forward to having on the court this season.”

AUGUST 22ND, 12:34pm: Green's day should finally be made official in the next day or two, Falk tells Sam Amick of SI.com (Sulia link). The agent said that the cap issues holding up the deal were "nothing serious" and that the agreement is still expected to be for four years and about $36MM.

AUGUST 17TH, 8:45pm: Nearly a month after his last update on Green's contract status, Falk told the Boston Globe on Friday that his client's deal should become official next week, reports Washburn (via Twitter).

JULY 25TH, 5:45pm: News of the deal becoming official is "imminent," Green's agent David Falk tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Sulia link). Green's signing has been held up while the Celtics have pursued other free agents, but now only "minor contract issues" related to the new CBA remain before the deal is finalized, Falk says.

JULY 8TH, 8:11pm: The agreement in principle is for $36MM over four years, a source tells Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. That would give Green the same $9MM salary he was to earn in his previous contract, which was voided in December.

JULY 7TH, 2:22pm: The Celtics and Jeff Green have agreed to terms on a deal, Green's agent David Falk told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Falk says it's a multiyear contract, according to Sam Amick of SI.com (Sulia link). Though terms have not been disclosed, Amick reported earlier that the deal could be "in the neighborhood" of four years and $40MM.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge may have let news of the agreement slip earlier when he referred to Green as an addition to the team in comments to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Green and the Celtics agreed to a one-year, $9MM deal in December, but that contract was voided when Green was found to have a heart ailment that rendered him unable to play last season. The Celtics also withdrew their qualifying offer to Green when his aortic aneurysm was discovered, making him an unrestricted free agent. According to Amick, the team is now confident that Green is fully healthy.

The agreement comes as no surprise, as it never appeared Green was seriously considering any other team. When Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors profiled Green in our Free Agent Stock Watch series, he noted that the 6'9" forward still has a home in the Boston area and sat on the Celtics' bench during games this season. Green put up 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game with a 12.9 with the Thunder and Celtics in 2010/11. Green came to Boston in a midseason trade, and the Celtics were recently awarded a 2013 second-round pick as compensation from the league after Boston complained the Thunder had knowledge of Green's condition prior to the trade.

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Odds & Ends: Green, Hummel, Bynum, Prospects

August 8th, 2012 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's check in on a few links from around the league on a Wednesday afternoon, as Argentina and Brazil battle for a spot in the Olympic semi-finals….

Jeff Green spoke to Josh Zavadil of CelticsBlog about his heart surgery, having to sit out the 2011/12 season, and returning to the Celtics this summer. Green also praised Celts president of basketball operations Danny Ainge for the team's roster moves this summer.
Purdue forward Robbie Hummel has signed with Spanish team Obradoiro, the club announced (hat tip to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Hummel was drafted 58th overall by the Timberwolves in June, so Minnesota will hold his rights if he hopes to play in the NBA in the future.
Kevin Ding of the Orange Country Register suggests that the Lakers' public courting of Dwight Howard is only giving Andrew Bynum reason to leave Los Angeles. Earlier today, I looked at a few scenarios for Howard's and Bynum's next contracts.
In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's Chad Ford takes an early look at the rising and falling stocks of some of 2013's top prospects.

Eastern Notes: Green, Deng, Howard

August 6th, 2012 at 3:58pm CST by Daniel Seco

Nene found himself on the bench in London as Brazil beat Spain in Olympic basketball play this afternoon. The Wizards big man doesn't plan on playing again until the semifinals as he rests his left foot, currently feeling the effects of plantar fasciitis. Here's the latest news and headlines from around the Eastern Conference…

The Celtics have yet to make their agreement with Jeff Green official, but A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com notes that Green's recent comments indicate he's looking forward to returning to action with Boston after missing last season with a heart ailment. "I actually feel a lot better than I did prior to the surgery. It was a blessing, and I'm doing better now," said Green.
Luol Deng may not be missing any time this upcoming season as his performance during the Olympics has him thinking he won't need immediate surgery on his wrist, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. The Bulls forward plans to be ready to play in eight weeks when training camp opens and may elect to have the surgery after the 2012/13 season.
Dwight Howard will not be attending his summer youth basketball camp later this month for undisclosed reasons, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter). The Magic big man will send teammate Andrew Nicholson to the camp as his replacement.

Odds & Ends: Kirilenko, Hill, Green, Grizzlies

July 20th, 2012 at 10:43am CST by Luke Adams

After spending 10 productive seasons (19.1 career PER) with the Jazz, Andrei Kirilenko played overseas last season, but was widely viewed as a good bet to return to the NBA for 2012/13. Now, it's not clear whether or not Kirilenko will return to the Association, with one report suggesting he was on the fence, while another indicated a decision was likely by August 1st.

The latest on the Russian forward? NetsDaily passes along comments Kirilenko made to a Russian reporter, where he suggested that the Nets are still a possibility for him. It's hard to imagine Kirilenko settling for the veteran's minimum, which is all Brooklyn could offer at this point, so I still think CSKA Moscow is the 31-year-old's likeliest destination, but we'll have to wait out his decision.

Here are a few more Friday morning odds and ends from around the NBA:

Grant Hill expected to re-sign with the Suns this summer, but only received a minimum-salary offer from the team, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
While the Celtics have received some criticism for signing Jeff Green to a four-year, $36MM deal, agent David Falk insists there were other teams willing to make big offers for his client, as he tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
According to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, commissioner David Stern thinks an official decision regarding Robert Pera's purchase of the Grizzlies is still a couple months away.
The decision is still pending a Board of Governors vote, but the NBA will likely begin including small advertisements on uniforms beginning in 2013, as ESPN.com's Paul Lukas writes.

Celtics Trying To Clear Space For Courtney Lee

July 14th, 2012 at 2:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics agreed to terms with Jason Terry last week, but they'd "love" to turn the deal into a sign-and-trade with the Mavericks in order to free their mid-level exception to pursue Courtney Lee, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Mavericks and Celtics discussed a sign-and-trade for Terry earlier in the process, but the Mavs are no longer open to such a move (Twitter link). Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com hears the only way a sign-and-trade happens is if a third team gets involved.

Celtics Close To Re-Signing Jeff Green

July 7th, 2012 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 1:33pm: As Matt Moore of CBSSports.com points out, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe passed along a comment from Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge that seems to indicate Green and the Celtics have agreed to terms.

"We've added a couple of great professionals in Jeff Green and Jason Terry and we drafted three guys that I think are very professional and add to the locker room," Ainge said in Washburn's report. "Talent is a hard thing to find but we put a great deal of value into what goes on in the locker room also."

It could merely be a slip of the tongue, but it's seemingly one more indication of how close the two sides are. Terry and the Celtics reached an agreement Tuesday.

FRIDAY, 7:55am: SI.com's Sam Amick reports that Green and the Celtics continue to talk, but it appears likely they'll be ready to finalize a deal when the moratorium ends next Wednesday.

NBA Grants Celtics 2013 Second-Round Pick

June 26th, 2012 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has granted the Celtics a 2013 second-round pick from the Thunder in a dispute over Jeff Green's medical condition, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). The Celtics filed a complaint with the league when Green missed the 2011/12 season due to a heart condition, less than a year after Boston acquired the forward from Oklahoma City (Twitter link).

Free Agent Stock Watch: Jeff Green

June 19th, 2012 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

An NBA agent is expected to create a market for his players, so it's not uncommon to see an agent speak overly optimistically, if not hyperbolically, about one of his clients. Long-time NBA player rep David Falk displayed that sort of optimism this week, when he discussed client Jeff Green, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after recovering from heart surgery.

"With the possible exception of Deron Williams, I think that Jeff will probably be the No. 1 unrestricted free agent on the market," Falk told SI.com's Sam Amick. "It's not like we have LeBron [James] and [Dwyane] Wade and all these guys floating around. I'd be very surprised if Deron Williams winds up anywhere besides Dallas or [Brooklyn]. So the next guy in the pecking order is Jeff Green."

While I admire Falk's enthusiasm, and it's great to hear that Green appears well on his way to being an NBA contributor again, the agent's projection for the former fifth overall pick seems awfully aggressive. Even a healthy Green only posted a career 12.8 PER in four years before being sidelined for the 2011/12 season.

In the site's free agent rankings, HoopsHype places Green 58th overall and 38th among unrestricted free agents, behind players like Reggie Evans and Nate Robinson. If I were assessing Green's stock, I'd put him somewhere in between Falk's and HoopsHype's rankings, but the uncertainty surrounding the 25-year-old will make him one of this summer's most intriguing free agents.

Falk insists that Green is back to 100% following surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm, and told Amick that he's had "exploratory talks" with 12-14 teams, which suggests clubs aren't shying away due to health concerns. Whether or not Green will receive big-money, long-term offers is another story though. While teams should be willing to roll the dice on a former top-five pick that can play both forward positions, there may be some apprehension about investing major money in a player who hasn't appeared in an NBA game in over a year.

Before he failed a December physical, Green had signed a one-year, $9MM deal with the Celtics. His free agent contract this summer will likely be for multiple years, but at a lesser annual salary than that. The Celtics did Green a favor by withdrawing their qualifying offer, something the team didn't have to do. It means the forward will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, rather than a restricted FA controlled by the Celtics. Green's actions have suggested he hasn't forgotten the gesture — he still has a home in the Boston area, sat on the bench during C's games this season, and has expressed a desire to return. According to Falk, there are three or four teams he and his client have significant interest in, and Boston is one of those teams.

What other teams could be fits for the former Hoya? The Nets have a ton of cap space and are eyeing forwards like Gerald Wallace and Andrei Kirilenko. Green could be a fit if they miss out on their top choices. The Cavs, Rockets, Pacers, Bucks, and Raptors are a few teams with potential cap room who could have interest in a versatile forward like Green. If mid-level money is enough to land the fifth-year veteran, clubs like the Spurs and Warriors could enter the mix as well.

Calling Green the number two unrestricted free agent on the market this summer may be exaggerating his worth a little, but he does have the potential to be a major sleeper. If he's 100% healthy, something we'll all be rooting for, Green could be a great value signing for a contender or a solid veteran addition to a retooling team.

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Jeff Green Attracting Interest From Myriad Teams

June 17th, 2012 at 8:48am CST by Daniel Seco

Jeff Green's combination of youth and athleticism has numerous teams inquiring about his impending unrestricted free agency later this summer, writes Sam Amick of SI.com. The former Georgetown star missed the entire 2011/2012 season after suffering from an aortic aneurysm in December and undergoing surgery in January. Green's agent David Falk considers his client to be back to 100% health as he heads into the offseason as possibly the No. 2 free agent with 10-12 teams inquiring about his interest in taking his talents to their respective cities.