Avery Bradley agreed to terms on a $32 million deal to return to the Celtics. Credit: Getty Images
The 2014-15 Celtics roster is far from finished but at this juncture it appears Danny Ainge believes he can win big by going small.
The Celtics agreed to a new contract with guard Avery Bradley this week. The deal is worth a reported $32 million over four years.
The move was questioned by many basketball minds on two fronts. First, the Celtics may have too many quality chefs that will demand minutes in their backcourt, with Rajon Rondo, Bradley and first round draft pick Marcus Smart currently on the roster. Second, Bradley has often been injured in his NBA career – missing 22 games in 2013-14 due to ankle issues and 31 games in 2012-13 due to shoulder surgeries.
“Avery had a good (2013-14 season),” Ainge told ESPN at the conclusion of this past season. “I’ve seen improvement in Avery this year. The biggest issue with Avery has just been health. He plays hard and he’s had some injuries but none of them are injuries that should prevent him from being a great player.
The 23-year-old University of Texas product was drafted by the C’s 19th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft and is known for his relentless defensive ball pressure. Bradley averaged a career-high 14.9 points per game last season.
Follow Metro Boston sports editor Matt Burke on Twitter: @BurkeMetroBOS
