Jeff Green: How Can the Boston Celtics Effectively Utilize the Talented Forward?

When the Celtics made the controversial decision to trade fan favorite Kendrick Perkins last February, it was met with a fair amount of fan and media skepticism. The immediate aftermath didn't do much to alleviate those feelings. 

The 2010-2011 Celtics suffered from a lack of interior defense as well as some rebounding deficiencies. Could Perkins have helped? Yes, he would have. Would he have been able to put the Celtics over the top in their quest for another NBA title? Probably not. 

The player the Celtics received in exchange for Perkins was named Jeff Green. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he was once a first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics. Not just a first-round pick, but a top-10 lottery pick. It was Green coming out of college early after leading the Georgetown Hoyas to the 2007 Final Four. Green was the fifth overall pick. He never wore a Celtics uniform, though. 

Green was shipped off to Seattle (now Oklahoma) as part of the deal that brought Ray Allen to Boston. That deal was, of course, instrumental in bringing another banner to Boston. Now Green is back. Can he help bring another one? 

The answer, of course, lies in both the performance of Green as well as the role he is asked to fill. What can Doc Rivers do to put Jeff Green in a position to succeed? 

There are very few players in NBA History who are all-around dominant. Jordan and Magic leap to mind. Green is not all-around dominant, and he's a bit of an enigma—a good but not great defender, a decent scorer but not someone who will ever be a threat to win a scoring title. He can handle the ball, but you don't want it in his hand for too long. Green is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. That doesn't have to be a problem, though.

It's about how head coach Doc Rivers decides to use Green that will determine his role in the future of the Boston Celtics. As all Celtics fans know, the "Big Three" are getting old. In addition, two of them—Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen—will be unrestricted free agents following the upcoming season. Will those two be back in green? That's a big question. If they were to return, what would their roles be? 

With free agents such as Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams set to hit the market, the Celtics have money to spend. They could potentially make a trade with the Magic this coming season in an attempt to acquire Howard. Howard would be a huge addition to the Celtics, and paired with Rondo, Pierce and Green could be a very nice foundation for a title run in the 2012-2013 season.  

Green has a place on the team. He could be a very effective sixth man this coming season. His ability to score and rebound isn't elite but it's also not without value. As a starter in Oklahoma City he was a fairly solid bet to score about 15 points and grab six rebounds a game. 

The real question is how high Green's ceiling as a player is. Is he at best a 15-point, six-rebound a night player, or can be adjust to the league and move those numbers up? At 6'9", 235, Green has enough size to be a better rebounder. He's also big and quick enough to operate around the basket. There are players, such as Tyson Chandler, who enter the league at a young age and take years to adjust and find the right circumstances to blossom. Could Green be that type of player? 

It's up to Rivers and the Celtics to find out. It's up to Green to learn the Celtics' system, play hard and most importantly play with a purpose. All too often Green looked a little lost on the court last season. Rivers and Green have to find the right combination of minutes, shots and assignments so that Green can flourish. Sixth man or one of the prime bench spots is a good place to start, and it will be up to Green to move up and advance from there.