Keith Bogans Excused From Boston Celtics Indefinitely For Personal Reasons

NESN

by Anna Fogel on Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 8:03PM

The Boston Celtics announced Tuesday that Keith Bogans has been excused from the team indefinitely for personal reasons.

The 33-year-old guard was acquired over the summer as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets. Bogans told Hoopsworld’s Jessica Camerato earlier this month that he was frustrated with the lack of playing time and believed he’d be on the court more. “I just want to play,” Bogans said. “I want to play basketball. I want to get off the bench. I had no idea that I would be in this position. [My expectations were] that I would play.”

Bogans, who was with the Celtics during Monday night’s loss to the Houston Rockets but missed practice Tuesday, has not played in the past four games and is averaging two points per game in just six appearances this season. Bogans is being paid $5.1 million this season, and he remains under contract with the Celtics during this time. But he emphasized to Camerato that the money doesn’t matter. “Money is good, but if you’re not happy doing what you love to do … I want to play basketball,” Bogans said.

In response to whether or not he’s happy, Bogans continued: “The fact that I’m not playing, no. But put people in my position and see what would happen. It’s easier said than done. So anybody can say yeah I’m happy, I’m getting money, but come on now.”

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Bogans is washed up yet still one of the best paid players on the team.  If he had any kind of head, he would work hard in practice - help some of the younger players, and make the best of it.  Instead he is diluted into thinking he still has game?  Really?

Bogans needs to be on a contender where they end games by the 3rd quarter so he can get some minutes.



KJ

Bogans needs to be on whatever team J.R. Smith is on.

Although Bogans looks like a bad guy, it has to be difficult for veterans who think they could help more to watch the team struggling so much while younger guys fall short while they're presumably developing. (Wallace is Exhibit A.)

Sam

Sam,

I get that it's not an ideal situation for him, but he's a 33-year-old journeyman on a team going young. In his case, "journeyman" is a generous substitute for "mediocre." He's a shooting guard who hasn't averaged five points per game or 10 points per 36 minutes since 2008-09. He's not a good ballhandler and generates only 2.0 assists per 36 minutes. From what I can tell, his best skill is as a defender, but the Celtics have good perimeter defenders who are much better offensively than Bogans.

Of course he'd like to play, but he has to recognize the reality of his situation and make himself an asset to his team in some fashion -- leadership, professionalism, and practice habits come to mind -- and be ready to play if his name is called. Instead, he made himself such a royal pouting pain that the team preferred having him leave altogether rather than keep him around. That's not a recipe for generating sympathy.

He wants to play...understandable. But what is he doing in practice to warrant minutes over Bradley, Bayless, and even Pressey?



KJ