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The doctors have given Jeff Green the all-clear to play in the 2012-2013 season.  That’s great news for the Boston Celtics.  Green missed the entire 2011- 2012 season following the discovery of an aortic aneurysm, which led to open heart surgery and a season watching from the sidelines.  If rumors are true, Green has the framework in place for a 4yr/ $36 million deal.  We won’t know until the season starts whether Green will be 100% every game, but his agent says that he’s ready, and it’s doubtful that Green has lost any basketball skills. The 6’9″ forward had a good field goal percentage (.485) in his 26 games with the Celtics, and he’ll likely improve on that percentage with a training camp under his belt.  Green is also known for his great passing skills, and is one of the better passing forwards in the league.  He is also a decent three point shooter that can hit open threes on the wing.

This will hopefully be the first full season that Green plays with Celtics since being traded for a former fan favorite, Kendrick Perkins, who is now with the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The Celtics can use Green as a strong defensive threat against Miami’s 3-time MVP, Lebron James. And despite the loss of Ray Allen, Green’s decision to return should help the Celtics remain strong contenders in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics’s goal is clear: They want to remain an upper-echelon team in the East while keeping an eye on rebuilding the nucleus.  Players like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are still great, but their playing days are numbers.  For “KG” and “The Truth”, retirement is coming sooner rather than later, and Green represents a glimpse into the future.

Keion Grissom is a new blogger for Celtic-Nation.  Follow him on Twitter @Kid2King