WALTHAM, Mass. -- The Celtics formally exercised the third-year option on forward Jared Sullinger on Thursday.

The move was a no-brainer to trigger the team's $1.4 million option on Sullinger's rookie contract. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said earlier this week the team would do such.

Sullinger sat out Wednesday's season-opener while serving a team-issued one-game suspension. He averaged 6 points and 5.9 rebounds over 19.8 minutes in 45 appearances last season before back surgery ended his rookie campaign.

The Celtics also had the ability to trigger a fourth-year option on MarShon Brooks at $2.2 million, but Ainge said earlier this week the team was unlikely to do that while still evaluating Brooks.

There's a midnight deadline to trigger options and extensions. Ainge said earlier this week he was still talking with the representatives for Avery Bradley about a possible extension on his rookie deal, but said that regardless of that outcome, he envisions Bradley as a key piece of Boston's future.