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Jeff Green admits replacing Kendrick Perkins is a tall order -- if that was his role. (AP)

Once again, unrestricted free agent Jeff Green explained the difficulty he experienced trying to integrate himself into the Celtics’ offensive and defensive schemes after the Kendrick Perkins trade. NBA.com’s David Aldridge discussed the issue ^[4] with him earlier this month, and Yahoo! Sports reporter Marc J. Spears also pressed Green ^[5] on his statistical drop-off after leaving the Thunder. Here’s what Green told Spears:

• On joining the Celtics: “They’ve been together for a number of years. They’ve already won a championship, they already have a system, they already have their chemistry and that bond on that team. It was tough to go into that situation.”
• On replacing Kendrick Perkins: “The one thing about me is that I’m not trying to fill anybody’s shoes. Kendrick is a totally different player than myself. People looked at me being the type of player I am and with the name I have going into this situation, they expected me to fill his shoes.”
• On adjusting to the Celtics: “It was tough to gather all that information so fast and try to gather the concepts of what they are trying to do.”
• On remaining with the Celtics: “I’ve been in the gym working, but things have been hairy. You never know what’s going to happen. I’m always going to be prepared. I’m just taking it day by day. There is nothing much I can do right now. When things get done, they get done.”

Green doesn’t ever really say anything about remaining with the Celtics (although he admits his stint with Boston’s Big Three was “amazing”). The C’s have already extended a $5.9 million qualifying offer to Green. Another team would have to offer Green more, and even then the C’s could still match any such offer.

As I’ve noted before, the Celtics would be crazy to let Green go elsewhere, considering his future on the team is the only possible way the team can save face from the Perkins deal — especially since center Nenad Krstic has already signed a two-year deal in Russia.