NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics Have Very Few Options to Replace Jeff Green

The Celtics have very few options to replace forward Jeff Green. And this was a position that they in now way could have been prepared for.

Green was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, and will have surgery. The young small forward will be lost for the season.

The excellent news for Green is that Gary Washburn of Boston.com reports that he is expected to make a full recovery. Green's health takes precedence over the game. I certainly wish him a full and speedy recovery, and I am sure everyone in the Celtics organization feels the same. 

However, they still have to address a new void on their roster.

The Celtics had just signed Green to a one-year $9 million contract. He was expected to be their sixth man, Paul Pierce's primary backup and the power forward for small sets.

Celtics' New Needs

Boston's depth took a huge blow. Marquis Daniels and Sasha Pavlovic are now the two small forward options on the Celtics bench.

This will put added pressure and minutes on bench players like Brandon Bass and Chris Wilcox.

The Celtics need another option. However, they are going to face slim pickings.

What Celtics Can Do

Even without Green's salary on the books, the Celtics are well over the salary cap threshold. If they are going to bring someone in via free agency, it will have to be a player for the veteran's minimum.

This leaves them with their only real chance to bring an a real impact player via a trade. The Celtics don't have a lot to offer up via a trade.

If they do pursue a trade, it will be for a wing player. With Brandon Bass and Chris Wilcox, the Celtics are better equipped to handle Green's loss at the power forward position than the small, but again, they have little to offer in a trade.

Any package they put together will have to involve future draft picks, and some random combination of bench players. In other words, Danny Ainge has his work cut out for him.