Dallas Mavs Hiring J.J. Barea to New Staff
Long-time Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea - as former coach Rick Carlisle has often noted the last connection to the franchise's 2011 NBA championship - is ready to move from a playing career overseas to a position on the Mavs' staff that Carlisle and ousted GM Donnie Nelson just left behind.
"For sure,'' Barea said on June 18 when DallasBasketball.com asked him about the idea of coming back to Dallas to be a part of the next staff here. "That's what I want.''
It’s now happening, “in some capacity,” as the Dallas News notes, after JJB globe-trotted his way around basketball outside the NBA following his release at the start of this past season. Dallas signed JJB one last time last fall, creating a way to pay him a $2.6 million guaranteed contract despite not expecting him to make the roster. They wanted to reward him for his contributions to the team.
“He was a huge part of that championship,” then-GM Nelson said when the Mavs released Barea at the end of camp. “I think it was really more of an appreciation of J.J. and the amazing things he’s done throughout his career is why we brought him back as the 16th player on the roster and gave him a thank you of sorts.”
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Barea has long been the subject of discussion in regard to joining the Mavs as a staffer, in part because he was valuable in helping Luka Doncic make the off-the-court transition to America and the NBA. But the 36-year-old said on that retirement day, “I want to make sure everybody knows I want to play. Anything could happen this year, with the COVID, injuries. I might be back here in Dallas playing. I’ve seen it all in the NBA. I’ve seen some crazy stuff.”
The 14-year veteran did not see that opportunity unfold. But here comes another opportunity.
JJB, who began his pro career in his home of Puerto Rico, has often represented Puerto Rico in international competitions. He was and is also close with Doncic, and with Kristaps Porzingis, and of course with Mavs owner Mark Cuban and others who remain in this organization even after the week's departure of Nelson and Carlisle.
We've suggested that along with new "special advisor'' Dirk Nowitzki, Dirk buddy Barea - who knows this locker-room dynamic as well as anyone - can bring value to owner Mark Cuban’s team, now led by GM Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd.
