The Boston Celtics announced Wednesday evening that they have officially signed forward Jeff Green, ending more than a month of speculation over his contract status.

Boston and Green have had a handshake agreement in place since mid-July, but nothing became official until Wednesday. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and Green's agent, David Falk, maintained during the lengthy delay that the deal would eventually get done, but wouldn't shed light on what was holding up the process.

"We are thrilled to have Jeff back with the Celtics," Ainge said in a statement to the Celtics' official website. "Jeff's versatility on offense and ability to guard players out on the perimeter is something that we are looking forward to having on the court this season."

While it hasn't been confirmed what exactly kept the deal from becoming official until Wednesday, speculation will surely revolve around a stipulation in Green's contract related to his health. He missed the entirety of the 2011-2012 season after he underwent heart surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm. Additionally, there could have been debate over the length and value of Green's new deal, which is rumored to be for four years and approximately $36 million.

Those details are likely to surface in the coming days, but for now, everyone involved can breathe a sigh of relief as the "pending" tag has been removed from Green's contract status.

To read the full news story, HOP HERE.