Leandro Barbosa signed with the Boston Celtics for the veteran's minimum at the last minute before this season started. Well, he hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time with the C's and that was before the injured Avery Bradley returned to the scene.
According to this translated report from ESPN Brazil, Barbosa wants out of Boston:
The Brazilian is averaging just 4.9 points and 10.7 minutes per game – both the lowest marks of his career 9 years in the NBA. In an interview with radio “Bradesco Sports FM,” Barbosa revealed that he even asked to leave the Celtics.
“I will not lie to you, I tried to get out several times, but Danny Ainge (general manager of the franchise) does not want to let me go. He’s a guy that comes admiring my basketball for many years. I was supposed to have got a good contract with the Boston Celtics, but did not. He will not let me go so no, “said the Brazilian.
I understand the position in which Barbosa is in, he’s a competitor and he wants to play; however, he signed with the Celtics knowing they already got plenty of guards in Rajon Rondo, Bradley, Jason Terry and Courtney Lee. He had to be sure that someone wasn’t going to have the playing time they deserved.
Barbosa is not the same speedy guard he once was when he played with the Phoenix Suns (which helped him get the nickname “Brazilian Blur”), but he’s still a good, solid player that could help a team. He honestly shouldn’t be getting DNP’s.
When asked about the quotes and the report, Barbosa said he never requested to be traded, but he didn’t exactly deny what he said either.
https://twitter.com/SteveBHoop/status/292000936287694848
