When it comes to Marquis Daniels, there are simply too many unknowns right now, both for him and the Celtics. The important thing is that Daniels is doing better after his frightening incident Sunday afternoon against the Magic, when he collapsed on the floor and was taken off in a stretcher. He was released from New England Baptist Hospital on Monday and has full use of his motor skills.

"He's in good spirits, all things considered," Daniels' agent Mark Bartelstein said. "He's frustrated because he wants to play, but he's a lot better off than he was on Sunday."

There are so many variables when it comes to Daniels, who suffered a bruised spinal cord on a play that featured limited contact with Orlando's Gilbert Arenas. After the game, the Celtics revealed that Daniels has had spine issues in the past and it was those issues that caused him to leave Game 5 of last year's conference finals.

There's no current timetable for Daniels' return — he could be out a month or two, or he could be out longer. As team doctor Brian McKeon noted Sunday, the treatment for spinal issues primarily involves, "observation and time."

"It's going to be a process," Bartelstein said. "We're going to gather as much medical information as we can."

While Daniels recuperates, the Celtics are in a bit of a bind. Their depth at the wing was already thin, and now it's basically down to Von Wafer. Daniels is a vital component of their bench rotation because he was able to play backup minutes behind both Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

Delonte West hopes to return after the All-Star break, which will be a big addition. But Daniels is really the only backup small forward option on the roster. Even in his limited minutes, Wafer has rarely played forward. Luke Harangody and Glen Davis have seen spot duty in practice, but they would both be imperfect fits.

As Doc Rivers told reporters in Charlotte Monday, "I think what we have to do really is wait and see with the Marquis situation, how long that will be. If [it’s] that long then we have to do something."

Their options are limited because their roster is full and they do not have many tradeable assets to swing a deal. Here are some possible remedies:

THE IN-HOUSE SOLUTION

The Celtics have 15 players under contract, the maximum number allowed by the league. If they want to add a veteran free agent, like say, Adam Morrison, or a player from the D-League on a 10-day contract, they would have to remove a player to open a roster spot. Wafer was thought to be on the bubble earlier this season, but his contract has become guaranteed and removing him simply opens another hole.

Wafer has also been with the team since the summer and his play has gradually improved over the last month or so. The Celtics will try to get by with a combination of Wafer and Harangody behind Pierce for now, but that's not an enticing scenario.

There's also the question of Allen, who played 39 minutes against the Bobcats on Monday, with most of the remaining minutes going to Nate Robinson. Rivers has had to get creative at times with his lineups this season, but Daniels has been one of the few stabilizing influences on a second unit that is still searching for consistency.

THE TRADE MARKET

The problem here is that the Celtics simply don't have many tradeable contracts. The big four aren't going anywhere, and you can probably forget about any Jermaine O'Neal fantasies. There isn't a big market for 32-year-old centers with knee problems who are owed $6.2 million next season.

The most attractive contracts the Celtics have belong to Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis, who are in the final years of their deals that are worth between $3-4.6 million. Teams around the league would line up to get either Perkins or Davis, but it would take something extraordinary for team president Danny Ainge to part with either.

West and Daniels are on one-year deals, but aren't likely to be dealt. Shaquille O'Neal is a special case, and an integral part of their frontcourt depth. Robinson could be another matter if West proves able when he returns, but he has another year left on his contract after this one and while he has struggled with his shot this year, he's also tough, durable and a better defender than his reputation. He’s also the only healthy reserve guard with any real experience.

That leaves Wafer and the rookies: Avery Bradley, Semih Erden and Harangody, all of whom are valuable to the Celtics because they're young, have potential and don't make a lot of money.

Remember also that the Celtics are over the cap and any trade would have to send back matching value in terms of contracts, which would likely eliminate any of the higher-priced options. All of this puts Ainge in a tough spot. He has pulled rabbits out of his hat before and has a well-deserved reputation for making creative deals, but Ainge is not dealing with many assets this time around.

If you're looking for under-the-radar names, keep an eye on the Cleveland duo of Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon, both of whom are in the last years of their contracts and both make around $3 million.

THE BUY-OUT MARKET

If the Celtics can hang on through the Feb. 24 trade deadline, there could be a number of veterans who are bought of the last year of their contracts, making them free agents available to sign for the veteran minimum. Ainge has traditionally mined this turf for players including Sam Cassell, Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore.

We won’t know until after the trade deadline who might get bought out, but again, if the Celtics are going to add someone, they also have to get rid of one of their players.

Complicating matters further, they simply don’t know when, or even if, Daniels might be able to return. It’s ironic that with all the attention focused on the health of Kevin Garnett, Pierce and Allen, most of the Celtics injury problems this season have been to their supporting cast. They have been able to compensate up to this point, but for Daniels there is no easy solution.