Agent: Jeff Green Interested in Celtics Return

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

Jeff Green is resting comfortably at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio after surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm Monday that will sideline him the entire season. His agent, David Falk, told the Globe that Green's surgery was "100 percent successful" and he should be able to return to the NBA next season.

"The doctor said he would have an easier return than if he came back from an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)," Falk said. "We're not going to give any details other to say the surgery corrected the problem and the next step will be rehab.

Green condition was discovered during a Celtics' physical before training camp began. After the diagnosis, the Celtics rescinded the qualifying offer to Green at $9 million, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Celtics may have been seeking more cap relief with the move but coach Doc Rivers said at practice Tuesday that he hopes Green is back with the Celtics next season. If he does decide to return, the Celtics would have to compete with any other interested team for his services.

"I think Jeff has an important future value to the Celtics. He has a very positive feeling about Boston. I think that it will be one of a short list of teams that he will talk to when the time comes."

"I said it was unexpected (the Celtics' rescinding the offer), not something we bargained for," Falk said. "But I think the Celtics had their own reasons why. It was something important for them to do. I respect that. I think it was welcome news for Jeff after receiving some difficult news to digest. It's not something we initiated, not something we requested, not something we bargained for. It was a decision made by Celtics management for their own reasons."

Falk said he would not accept any other offers for Green this past summer and would agree to a one-year deal.

"Now that he's unrestricted and he has the legal right to talk to every team, Boston is obviously a team he is very interested in," Falk said. "We're going to continue our discussions with an appropriate time with Boston. I don't think his status is going to change their need for him or his interest in talking with them."

112288