Celtics pick up option on Sullinger, decline on Brooks and Crawford

While most extension talk has been focused around Celtics guard Avery Bradley, the Celtics have reached decisions on some of the other contracts that previously were up in the air.

According to ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg, the Boston Celtics will exercise it's 2014/14 option on Jared Sullinger, but will give themselves more time to evaluate both MarShon Brooks and Jordan Crawford.

This comes as no surprise following Sullinger's productive rookie year. As a building block of the future of the Celtics franchise, Sullinger's 2014/15 salary of approximately $1.42MM shouldn't be prohibitive as the C's restructure, rebuild, and reboot their way to an 18th World Championship banner.

According to Danny Ainge (via ESPN's Chris Forsberg, who broke the news earlier today) the team is giving themselves more time to evaluate their back court options over the course of the 2013/14 seasons.

* Jared Sullinger: The Celtics own a $1.4 million third-year option on Sullinger, the 21st pick in the 2012 draft. It's a no-brainer to pick that up and Ainge indicated the team will do such this week.

* MarShon Brooks: Ainge said the team is unlikely to trigger a $2.2 million team option for the swingman. Noted Ainge: "With MarShon, we haven’t enough chance to evaluate him in a fair way and so we probably won’t pick up his extension. But we will retain his Bird Rights and I’m sure he’ll get plenty of opportunities this year to see if he fits our system." Bird Rights are an exception that allows teams to exceed the salary cap in order to re-sign their own free agents. That would help Boston retain Brooks, if they desired next offseason, even if they decline to pick up next year's option.

* Jordan Crawford: Like Bradley, the 2009 draft pick is eligible for an extension on his rookie pact. Said Ainge: "We’re not doing an extension with Jordan right now. We’ll retain his Bird Rights as well.

Follow Padraic O'Connor on Twitter @padraic_oconnor

Source: Luke Adams, HoopsRumors.com

Source: Chris Forsberg; ESPN Boston

Photo Source: JOHN MINCHILLO/AP

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