He’s played 15 seasons with 11 different teams and now finds himself part of a talented Denver Nuggets squad making a run toward an NBA title — let’s have a look at the long and lucrative journey of Jeff Green.
Jeff Green may not get the minutes he used to, but it doesn’t matter. He’s still money.
The 36-year-old power forward, now in the twilight of his career, is playing more of a backup role these days as a member of the Denver Nuggets bench — but you just can’t count him out. As history would suggest, Green could go off at any minute.
A wily veteran known for his athleticism and versatility, Green has maintained quite the career since being drafted fifth overall in the 2007 NBA Draft.
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We’re talking a total of 1,107 regular season games with 11 franchises — the Seattle Supersonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, and Nuggets.
He’s also shared the court with some of the best to ever do it — players like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and LeBron James. But could his latest superstar teammates — Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray — be his best chance at winning his first championship?
The Nuggets will likely need everything they’ve got to take down the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, and that includes potentially a big game from Green.
But before we jump into his on-court resume, let’s have a look at just how much money he’s made over the years.
Jeff Green Contract & Salary Breakdown
Fifteen years in, Jeff Green’s career earnings to date in the NBA currently sit at $90.5 million. But give him a few more years and it’s guaranteed he’ll hit the $100 million mark.
A closer look at Green’s earnings over his career shows his top-performing years came between 2012-2017 — seasons he spent time with the Celtics, Grizzlies, Clippers, and Magic. Incredibly enough, Green’s peak in performance and pay came directly after he underwent open heart surgery to replace an aortic root aneurysm.
Not only did he come back after missing the entire 2011-12 season, but he came back with a vengeance, eventually averaging 17 points per game for the 2013-14 Celtics, leading a team reeling from the trade of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in scoring.
While his three years in Boston earned him the most in total earnings, Green’s biggest payday, however, came in Orlando when he signed a one-year contract worth $15 million.
His current two-year contract, which he signed in 2021, may not be nearly as substantial as those in his hay day, however, is still impressive for a bench player.
Jeff Green Contract Details & Salary
All dollar figures via Spotrac.
Current contract (through 2022-23)
Years: 2
Total value: $9,000,000
Average annual value: $4,500,000
Remaining salary under current deal:
2022-23: $4,500,000
Free agency: 2023/24
Jeff Green’s Career Earnings
Salary data via Spotrac.
NBA SALARY EARNINGS THRU 2022-23: $90,534,789
The On-court Career of Jeff Green
There’s a reason Green is known as “Uncle Jeff” around the league.
In 2009, LeBron James likened Green to “that uncle you used to play basketball with at the Y who will punish you down on the blocks and you get mad.”
But it wasn’t always like that for the 6-foot-8 power forward. Prior to earning a nickname from King James, Green played three seasons with the Georgetown Hoyas and then entered the league as the fifth overall pick by the Seattle Supersonics but was traded for franchise icon Ray Allen.
Green ultimately played in Seattle for just one season before the team moved to Oklahoma City. There, in his second season, he outscored a young Westbrook with 16 points per game.
Green’s best season came with the C’s in 2013-14 — where he played and started in all 82 regular season games, averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
This season, while averaging 19.5 minutes per game, Green put up 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. In the playoffs, Green is averaging 4.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.
While Green will likely continue to play a backup role in this next round of the playoffs, keep an eye on him once he gets in the game. Uncle Jeff could be a pivotal part of a Nuggets’ run to the NBA Finals.
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