NBA Rumors: Celtics, Cavs 'Front-Runners' to Sign Danny Green; Lakers, Suns Linked

Danny Green will have no shortage of suitors when his buyout with the Houston Rockets is finalized.

B/R's Chris Haynes reported Green negotiated a buyout with the Rockets, and the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers are among teams interested in signing the 35-year-old.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs and Celtics are considered front-runners for Green, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns also in the mix.

The Rockets acquired Green in a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday.

There was no expectation that Green would end up playing for the Rockets. His age and being in the final season of his contract didn't line up with where Houston is at right now.

The Celtics and Suns are the top two title contenders among the group of teams specifically cited as having an interest in Green. Boston has been the best team in the NBA since the start of the season and owns the league's best record at 40-16.

The Suns vaulted into a top-tier Western Conference contender after acquiring Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. The Lakers know Green very well after he played a big role in their run to the championship during the 2019-20 season.

The Cavs have the second-best net rating in the NBA (plus-6.0) and currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 37-22 record. However, wing depth has been a concern for them since the start of the season.

Now in his 14th season, Green is almost certainly trying to find a situation that can provide him with an opportunity to compete for a championship. There are going to be questions about how much he has left in the tank.

Green made his season debut for the Grizzlies on Feb. 1 after tearing his ACL and LCL in May 2022 with the Philadelphia 76ers. He only appeared in three games, scoring a total of nine points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field.

It was a very small sample size for a player returning from a serious injury. The teams reportedly interested in Green will be able to provide him with the ability to work his way back into game shape before the playoffs start.