A RESERVE role in most of his National Basketball Association (NBA), the undersized but huge in impact JJ Barea, as he is commonly known, played for Dallas Mavericks as an undrafted rookie from 2006 to 2011.
Barea was a great help for Mavs to grab their first NBA championship in 2011 as a chief reliever to Jason Kidd. That season, he averaged 9.5 points and 3.9 assists in 81 games. He is one of only 15 Puerto Ricans who had played in the NBA since 1978 and only the second since Alfred “Butch” Lee to win a championship (1979-1980 LA Lakers, Magic Johnson’s rookie season).
Negotiations failed for his return to Dallas after that championship season. He moved to Minnesota where he had a three-season (2011-2014) average of 10.3 points and 4.5 assists in a backup role to Ricky Rubio.
In 2014, the five-foot-ten guard returned to Dallas when the Mavericks were forced to make cuts during the season and released the 36-year old veteran to give way for the younger and taller ones like Jalen Brunson and Trey Burke, both rotating for Luka Doncic. Barea left the NBA with respectable career averages of 8.9 points and 3.9 assists.
As a sign of their appreciation, the Mavericks organization made Barea their 16th player with a guaranteed contract, signing him to a one-year, veteran’s minimum of $2.6 million. Team owner Mark Cuban gifted JJ with a deal before releasing him for his function as an important role player during their 2011 title run.
With 637 games, Barea, a Mavs crowd favorite, ranks fifth in the team’s history of most games played behind Dirk Nowitzki, Brad Davis, Derek Harper, and Rolando Blackman.
He recently signed a deal with Estudiantes of the Liga ACB, Spain’s top professional basketball league, and scheduled to join the team for training camp two weeks ago. The contract has an opt-out clause that allows him to go back to the NBA.
Liga ACB ends its season a few weeks before the NBA does, so if an offer comes to him for the postseason, Barrea can return stateside.
As per ESPN’s Tim McMahon, Barea is “determined” to play in the NBA and will use his time in the Spanish league to display his skills against quality opponents. With injuries and coronavirus disease 2019 infections upsetting team lineups, there’s a strong chance of point guard needs come playoff time and JJ will be ready if teams come calling. /PN
