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Gorman On Toucher & Rich: Bradley Back By New Year?

BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Celtics have plenty of two-guards right now, and that depth will be getting a lot stronger in the near future.

Avery Bradley, who is recovering from a pair of off-season shoulder surgeries, is on the mend, and could be back soon says CSNNE's Celtics play-by-play man Mike Gorman.

"He's with the team. He's starting to come out on the floor and shoot a little bit. I think we will see Bradley before the new year," Gorman told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Tuesday.

Bradley battled numerous dislocated shoulders during the regular season and playoffs last season, eventually opting to undergo surgery on both shoulders during the C's playoff run. The dynamic two-guard not only gave the Celtics another running threat on offense, but more importantly an above-average defender that seemed to change the team's dynamic when he stepped into the starting role mid-season.

While he's missed a significant amount of time recovering, Gorman doesn't think Bradley will miss a beat once he gets back.

"I think Avery is going to be the player he was last year; someone who is as good an on-ball defender as there is in the league, getting better night in and night out, and is still only 21-years-old," added Gorman. "He makes them more who we all want them to be; a defensive-oriented team that can also score."

But what happens to the current rotation once Bradley comes back?

"That's probably the most interesting, I won't say problem, but it's an embarrassment of riches," said Gorman. "If Avery Bradley comes back and is the Avery Bradley we all believe he can be, and then he's your starting two-guard. Then Jason Terry becomes your guy off the bench, and what do you do with Lee and Barbosa?"

In other Celtics news, with Darko Milicic contemplating a return to Serbia to be with his ill mother there has been chatter of the Celtics adding another big man. Two names that have popped up are free agent Kenyon Martin and the Phoenix Suns' Martin Gortat.

With the Suns likely asking for Bradley in a deal, Gorman doesn't think the Gortat will be wearing Celtics green any time soon. But Martin is a possibility, as he is still without an NBA team this season.

Why is K-Mart unemployed this season, and would he fit in with the Celtics?

"That's a good question and I think Kenyon is a little perplexed by that. His game has slipped a lot; he had a chance to play with a pretty good team in the Clippers and was only able to contribute five points and four rebounds per game," noted Gorman. "He hasn't received a lot of phone calls this year or teams inviting him in for a tryout. So the word is there isn't much left, but we've seen guys come in here and get under Kevin (Garnett)'s influence, and then all of a sudden they find legs all over again."

"I can't tell you how much of an impact Kevin is on this team, in terms of practice, driving guys and making guys play better. Kenyon could be a good fit, in that sense," he added.

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