New Jersey Nets’ John Bagley Is Playing With--and Like--the Celtics

He still considers himself a New Jersey Net and his paycheck still is being signed by the New Jersey club’s owners.

But in what has to be one of the more unusual stories of the summer, John Bagley just finished 3 1/2 days of rookie camp with the Boston Celtics Tuesday. For seven workouts, he wore a green uniform with a legendary Celtics number--17--and he dished off to the likes of Larry Bird, Reggie Lewis and Joe Kleine.

Like so many others at rookie camp, he was trying to play his way into a job. Except he already has one.

There was nothing illegal in any of this, even though Bagley has three years left on his contract. Bagley asked the Nets if he could attend the Celtics’ camp, and New Jersey OK’d the request. And the Celtics, who need help at the position Bagley plays--point guard--were more than happy to accommodate the former Boston College star.

“We definitely have an interest in him,” Celtics Coach Jimmy Rodgers said. “That’s why he was here.”

And the Nets? They say they have an interest in Bagley, but how many clubs would allow a player they figure to be in their plans to work out with another team? Especially a team with a stated interest in that player?

In addition, New Jersey Coach Willis Reed talked last season about not having any decent help at point guard. And the Nets’ first-round draft pick was none other than Oklahoma’s Mookie Blaylock, a point guard. The Nets also are trying to re-sign unrestricted free agent Lester Conner, who led them in assists last season.

Despite all that, Bob Casciola, the Nets’ executive vice president and chief operating officer, said Bagley was being counted on to play for Jersey next season. Not for the Celtics.

“He’s been in the league for seven years and so everyone knows about him. We’re not hiding anything. He was up there to get the work and the conditioning and there’s nothing more to it than that,” Casciola said. “If there is, we don’t know about it.”

Asked if Bagley fit into the Nets’ plans next season, Casciola said, “Absolutely. A guy like John can be a big asset to us, especially with a rookie like Blaylock. With his experience, he could play a key role. We’re counting on him. We just hope he can get back to the way he was playing two years ago.”

All of this made for good speculation if nothing else. Bagley has played seven seasons in the NBA and all have been with big-time losers.

His only playoff appearance was in 1985, when the Cleveland Cavaliers took the Celtics to four tough games in the first round. His career totals--9.1 points, 6.1 assists, 43.6 percent shooting--aren’t exactly eye-popping. Then again, for Bagley an average season is 27 victories.

After five years with the Cavs, Bagley was dealt to the Nets along with Keith Lee for Darryl Dawkins and James Bailey. Neither Dawkins nor Bailey played a game for the Cavs, and Lee has been injury-ravaged in his two seasons with the Nets, playing only 57 games.

Bagley had a reasonably productive first year in New Jersey, playing all 82 games, but the Nets were 19-63. Last season, New Jersey won 26 games, but Bagley played in only 68 games as he was hit with both a severely sprained ankle and a flu-like ailment that sapped his strength much of the season.

“Things haven’t gone exactly the way I would have liked, but I still think I can fit in,” Bagley said of the always combustible situation in New Jersey. “Basically, they’re going through a developmental stage now, but that’s how it has been for me my whole career. After a while, you get stereotyped and you never have the chance to play on a good team or with good players.”

Bagley’s agent, Frank Catupano, wasn’t thrilled with the way Reed treated his client and thought showcasing him in this lend-lease manner was a good idea.

The Celtics were a logical choice in that Bagley is a known commodity to them and that Boston is bereft of a legitimate point guard.

“If nothing else,” Celtics General Manager Jan Volk said, “he provided a good standard for comparison.”