Report: Green Likely Returning To Celtics At 4-Years, $40 Million
BOSTON (CBS) - With the Boston Celtics already locking up a pair of their own free agents in Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass this off-season, they are close to doing the same with forward Jeff Green.
At least in the eyes of Green's agent , David Falk, who told Sports Illustrated on Friday he thinks a deal with the Celtics will be done by the time teams can officially sign free agents on July 11.
"I'm confident it'll get done," Green's agent David Falk told SI.com. "I guess (Boston) got Bass' (contract) done, which is great. Jeff is trying to get a sense of what the team looks like first before he makes a commitment, but I expect he'll be there and I expect it'll be done by the 11th."
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Green missed the entire 2012 season after undergoing surgery to fix a heart condition. The 25-year-old is said to be ready to hit the floor again, and although other teams have come calling, Boston is Green's preferred landing spot.
"We've gotten a lot of interest from other teams. But as far as Boston, we're very confident it'll get done. He wants to be in Boston," said Falk. "He's excited about the moves they've made. He's hoping Ray Allen comes back as well, because he's very close to Ray Allen."
Allen is still deciding between the Celtics and Heat.
According to SI, the deal with Green could be in the neighborhood of four-years for $40 million. It is still unclear how much Green would make annually, or if all four years are guaranteed.
The 6-9 forward became an unrestricted free agent in December when Boston withdrew its $9 million qualifying offer after Green was diagnosed with his heart condition. Annually, it doesn't appear Green would be getting much of a raise, but the four years seem like a lot for a player the team that just missed an entire season.
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Boston has maintained all off-season they "expect" to have Green back. He was acquired by Boston at the 2011 NBA Trade deadline when Danny Ainge sent Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Green, Nenad Krstic, and a draft pick that turned into Fab Melo last week.
In 26 games with the Celtics in 2011, Green averaged 9.8 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 49-percent from the floor.
