Free-agent guard Kendall Marshall has made rapid improvement on the rehabilitation of his torn anterior cruciate ligament and expects to be ready for NBA training camps in October.

NBA executives tell Yahoo Sports that Marshall's most recent medical reports indicate that, barring any setbacks, he will be ready to return for the start of training camps in October.

Kendall Marshall (Getty Images) More

"The rehab has been going great," Marshall told Yahoo Sports by phone from Chapel Hill, N.C., where he's working out at the University of North Carolina. "I've started to do close-out drills and changes of direction. We've been aggressive with the rehab and I'll be ready when training camps open.

"With this injury, I know some guys have had setbacks, deal with tendinitis, and I haven't had any of that. It's been a smooth process. By the time August and September comes, I'll be getting fully ready for the season."

Marshall, 23, tore his right ACL on Jan. 15 for the Bucks and had surgery in early February, ending what had been a promising start to the season for him. Marshall had become an important part of Milwaukee's rapid ascent in the Eastern Conference, playing productive minutes behind Brandon Knight at point guard. Teams say they've been impressed with the analytics of Marshall's impact on the Bucks lineup a year ago – the difference with him on the floor versus off.

In Marshall's one full season in the NBA with the Lakers, he averaged nearly 30 minutes a game and was second in the NBA to the Clippers' Chris Paul in assists per game (8.8) and fifth overall in assists-to-turnover ratio.

After the Phoenix Suns selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, Marshall has been traded and waived twice in the league – only to start rebuilding his standing as a capable backup with Milwaukee a year ago.

Marshall had found success under Mike D'Antoni with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2013-14 season. He had gone to the Bucks in 2014 without a guaranteed contract for the season, but so impressed the organization that team officials committed to his deal for the rest of the 2014-15 season – well before the mandated date.

"I had a pretty good year in Los Angeles, playing on a playoff team, starting to find my niche and solidifying myself as a valuable asset in the league," Marshall told Yahoo Sports. "Getting waived, the injury, they're tough, but you have to learn to take things in stride.

"The one thing you learn in this league: The work never ends. My goal next year is to play 82 games."