Celtics' Green stays positive in face of surgery

MIAMI — Jeff Green lost a $9 million deal. But he feels he gained so much more.
 
All looked to be fine for the forward when he signed a one-year deal earlier this month with the Boston Celtics for an amount well above the $4.45 million he made last season. All he had to do was complete a routine physical, one that he'd passed with no problems before each of his four previous seasons.
 
But this time there was a problem. Doctors detected Green has an aortic aneurysm, and surgery on his heart has been scheduled for Jan. 9.
 
Green will miss this season, but doctors expect he will be able to return to the NBA in 2012-13. Yet voided was Green's $9 million contract, which, prorated over a 66-game season, would actually have been worth about $7.2 million.
 
"That's nothing, man," Green said in an interview with FOX Sports about losing that deal. "Heck, no. I'd rather have life than money."
 
Green, 25, was speaking while in Miami for Boston's 115-107 loss Tuesday to the Heat.

He's traveling with the Celtics for a three-game trip that started Sunday in New York and concludes Wednesday in New Orleans. Even though Green can't play, he's not down. He realizes there could have been serious consequences had his condition not been detected and he continued to be active.
 
"I'm blessed," said Green, who has a 13.9 career scoring average. "I'm real blessed. I'm fortunate they caught it. I'd rather live 80 more years than having something fatal happen to me on the court this year. So I'm blessed that it happened. I'm ready for the surgery to take place and come back stronger than ever."
 
Green said doctors have no idea how he got the condition. He's been told it could be hereditary, so a plan is in place for family members to be tested.
 
Green said he last had a physical prior to last season, when he was with Oklahoma City, and everything checked out fine. He was traded to Boston last February but said he didn't get a physical as part of that deal.
 
"It just something that was growing, I guess, over the course of the lockout this summer," Green said, referring to the five-month NBA lockout that started July 1.
 
Green said he was alerted after his physical there might be a problem, and he was brought back for additional tests. Doctors then called him with the verdict, which the Celtics announced Dec. 17.
 
"Like anybody else's reaction," Green said of how he felt at first. "Mad that it happened to you. But, like I said, I'm blessed that it was caught and I still have a chance to play this game that I love."
 
NBA players who have had heart procedures and returned to play professionally have included Etan Thomas, Robert Traylor and Ronny Turiaf. But Traylor, who had surgery in 2005 and later played internationally, died of a heart attack last May.
 
Green, though, said he has been put more at ease by talking to Thomas and exchanging texts with Turiaf. He also said he has received a text from Fred Hoiberg, an NBA player who retired after a 2005 heart procedure. But Hoiberg has returned to an active lifestyle and is now Iowa State's head coach.
 
Green has been told he's not at risk putting off the surgery for more than three weeks after his condition was detected. But he said he can't engage in anything too active.
 
"I'm fine," Green said. "I'm feeling good. I just didn't want to have it right away. I wanted to enjoy the holidays with family and be with the team for a bit before it was time to get the surgery."
 
Green called it "therapy" traveling with the Celtics, saying it's much better than "going crazy" while "sitting around the house."

"You just wish him a speedy recovery," said Celtics guard Ray Allen, 36, who is a very careful eater and is regarded as one of the NBA's best-conditioned players. "At his age, it's going to make him so much wiser and smarter on (knowing about taking care of his body). I just hope, if he has any nutritional questions, things to eat, like how to maintain (that Green can ask me)."
 
Green said recovery time varies, but he fully expects 2012 will find him working out and getting ready for a possible return to the Celtics. Green remains a restricted free agent, which means Boston can match an offer that another team might present.
 
Will Green be able to get another $9 million deal next season? That's one of the last concerns he has now.
 
Chris Tomasson can be reached at christomasson@hotmail.com or on Twitter @christomasson.