Leandro Barbosa has asked Celtics GM Danny Ainge to either release or trade him, according to ESPN Brazil. You can follow the link for the whole interview but here’s the most relevant part (admittedly butchered by Google Translate but you get the gist):

“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’m not sure what Barbosa expected when he signed with the Celtics, who were already very deep at guard. As the fourth shooting guard on the Celtics, minutes were going to be hard for Barbosa to come by after Bradley’s return, and since so many of these guards are undersized its hard for Doc to utilize them in three-guard lineups. While Doc admitted that he should have given Barbosa more run in last night’s game to spark the offense, his minutes will be sporadic at best in such a crowded backcourt.

From what I could gather from the article, it sounds like some Brazilian professional teams are courting Barbosa. I can’t fault him for wanting to potentially play closer to home, especially given the probability of increased playtime and salary. It’s worth noting that Barbosa can’t be traded until the 18th (tomorrow), so it’s possible Danny might want to explore his market value before he considers giving him his outright release.

Tom will have a piece coming up later in the day on why the Celtics should consider hanging onto Barbosa instead.

Update: Both Leandro Barbosa and Danny Ainge have denied this report.

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