One day after cutting ties with first year guards Dionte Christmas and Jamar Smith, the Celtics have signed a minimum veteran contract with Leandro Barbosa.

Y! Sources: Free agent guard Leandro Barbosa reaches agreement on a deal with the Boston Celtics. tinyurl.com/d3xeucd

—
Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 17, 2012

The signing will help load Boston’s backcourt, which already includes Rajon Rondo, Courtney Lee, Avery Bradley and Jason Terry. 

Barbosa adds speed and scoring to Boston’s arsenal, but can also handle the ball. Doc Rivers has suggested that Boston might have the deepest backcourt in the league once Bradley is healthy.

The 6-foot-3point guard averaged 8.9 points in 22 games last season with the Indiana Pacers. The addition of Barbosa should add offensive power and eliminate scoring dry spells that affected the team last season.

Leandro Barbosa will reportedly sign a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics, according to a tweet Wednesday afternoon from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Terms of the deal are not immediately known.

The nine-year NBA guard, nicknamed the “Brazilian Blur” for his speed, had said during the offseason that he would play for his native Brazil if he did not get an offer to play from an NBA team.

According to an Oct. 16 report from Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers hinted at the need to upgrade at point guard with a veteran to fill the hole left by Avery Bradley, who is out until mid-December after undergoing surgery on both of his shoulders during the offseason:

Obviously, at [point guard] it would help, but we can’t also forget that Avery  [Bradley] is coming back too. We don’t want to overdo the point guard thing.”

Barbosa, who was traded to the Toronto Raptors last season by the Indiana Pacers, has career averages of 12.5 points and 2.4 assists per game. He will provide depth in the backcourt on both ends of the floor for the Celtics and will provide insurance as a sub for Rajon Rondo should Bradley go down with another injury.

Free agent guard Leandro Barbosa has reached agreement on a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell Yahoo! Sports.—
Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 17, 2012

Leandro Barbosa is talking to the Lakers, Nets and Suns about a contract. (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

Indiana Pacers free agent guard Leandro Barbosa confirmed that he is talking to the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns, and is even getting recruited over texts from Lakers point guard Steve Nash, according to a Hoops Hype translation of a report from OUL Deporte:

“Among others, I’m talking with Phoenix, the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Steve Nash even texted me because he wants me there.”

Barbosa, who made $7.6 million last season, said he would accept a veterans minimum salary to play for a contender, but the Lakers have very little room to add another contract so it may be wishful thinking for him and Nash to text about playing in Los Angeles together. If he doesn’t sign an NBA contract, Barbosa said that he would play in his native Brazil.

ESPNs Marc Stein reported Aug. 2 that he heard the Lakers have interest in the guard, but the team has little room on the roster for him given their salary cap.

The Nets, meanwhile, would certainly benefit from using Barbosa in their backcourt but the team is also committed to over $85 million in salary next season.

The Suns, while certainly an option for Barbosa because of the success he enjoyed in Phoenix under Mike D’antoni, would likely be a longshot for the guard because of his desire to play for a contender. Barbosa turns 30 a month after the season tips off.

The Lakers are reportedly interested in Pacers free agent Leandro Barbosa. (Issac Baldizon/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in signing Indiana Pacers unrestricted free agent Leandro Barbosa, according to tweets on Thursday from Marc Stein of ESPN.

The Lakers have roster room for Barbosa, who made $7.6 million with the Pacers last season, but he would probably only receive a veterans minimum salary to play in Los Angeles.

Next season, the Lakers will make Kobe Byrant the highest paid player in the league at $27 million and will also pay over $50 million over the next year to its core of Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace, Steve Nash and Andrew Bynum.

Antawn Jamison, who made $15 million last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, signed with the Lakers this offseason for a one-year veteran’s minimum deal worth $1.4 million.

The Lakers currently have Steve Blake backing up Nash, so adding Barbosa would add flexibility and depth to the backcourt. He is still a good defender and can play multiple positions because of his speed, giving him the nickname, “The Brazilian Blur.”

Barbosa won the NBA Sixth Man award in 2007 when he played for the Phoenix Suns alongside Nash. Last season, he averaged 11.1 points on 43-percent shooting. He and the Brazilian team lost by one point to Andrei Kirilenko and the Russian team during Olympic play on Thursday.

Game of the day now: Brazil v Russia. Hearing out of Brazil camp that they believe Lakers have interest in free-agent Leandro Barbosa—
Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 02, 2012

Question is how much Lakers, w/only 13 contracts but WELL into tax territory, have to spend. Brazil also worried Barbosa might be pressing—
Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 02, 2012

The Indiana Pacers have been looking to add one more piece as they make their push to be a serious threat in the Eastern Conference playoffs — and now it appears they’ve got it. Leandro Barbosa is heading to Indy, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard.

Sources: Toronto trading Leandro Barbosa to Indiana for second-round pick and cash considerations.

—
Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) March 15, 2012

Barbosa signed a five-year, $33 million extension with the Phoenix Suns back in October 2006. He’s currently playing out the final season of that deal with the Toronto Raptors, making $7.6 mil this year on his expiring deal — but the Pacers, being significantly under the salary cap with Danny Granger and David West as the only big-money players on their roster, are able to deal for Barbosa with just a pick and cash.

The 29-year-old Brazilian shooting guard is averaging 12.2 points per game off the bench for the Raptors this season. He should slide into the Pacers’ rotation nicely as the backup for two-guard Paul George.

The Pacers are 25-16, fourth-best in the Eastern Conference.