Celtics Extend Qualifying Offer To Avery Bradley
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Celtics have extended a qualifying offer to shooting guard Avery Bradley, the team announced on Monday.
Bradley is now a restricted free agent, but the Celtics have the option to match any offer sheet extended to him by another team.
The 23-year-old Bradley is coming off a strong season in which he averaged career-highs with 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds per contest in 60 games. The 6-2 guard tied a career-high for points in a game when he notched 28 points against Brooklyn on March 21, and recorded his first career double-double when he registered 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against New York on December 8.
While Bradley, the the 19th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, is best known for his tenacious defense, he led the Celtics in scoring in 17 games and recorded 20 or more points in 16 contests in 2013.
Bradley's biggest issue has always been staying healthy, as he missed 22 games last season with a bad ankle. He also missed 31 games in 2012 while recovering from double shoulder surgery that ended his season during the Celtics 2011-12 postseason run.
With the Celtics drafting a pair of guards, Marcus Smart and James Young, in last week's draft, Bradley's future with the club is unclear. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has said the Celtics want Bradley to be part of their rebuilding process, but it's unlikely they'll match a high offer if another team extends one to four-year guard.
NBA free agency opens at midnight on Monday.
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