"The Celtics are close to reaching an agreement to bringing back free agent forward Marquis Daniels, according to two sources, giving a second chance to Daniels after a bruised spinal cord brought his 2010-11 season to an abrupt and unfortunate end.

Daniels is expected to be in Waltham Thursday for physicals. The free agent period begins Friday along with training camp and teams can begin signing players at 2 p.m.

Daniels spent the past two seasons in Boston, as a crafty slasher and a reliable defender. But injuries have always seemed to plague the 30-year-old, and last season he saw the scariest moment of his career. "