J.J. Barea, to no one's surprise, isn't going anywhere. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the veteran backup guard has agreed to a one-year deal worth the veteran's minimum to return to the Dallas Mavericks.
Free agent guard JJ Barea has agreed to a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal to return to the Dallas Mavericks, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2019
There's a chance the deal could be worth a bit more, per Tim MacMahon:
Sources: JJ Barea is a lock to be back in Dallas on 1-year deal, but it’s not certain to be for the minimum. There’s a chance Barea could get a little more if Mavs have remaining cap space. The vet guard, a fan and locker room favorite, is progressing well in his Achilles rehab.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2019
Barea averaged 10.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists just 19.8 minutes per game for the Mavericks last season, maintaining his status as the unlikely engine behind the success of Rick Carlisle's bench lineups. He suffered a torn right Achilles tendon against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 11, though, limiting him to just 38 games, the third-lowest total of his 13-year NBA career.
At 35, it's unlikely Barea regains his pre-injury level of athleticism, an especially debilitating issue given his lack of size. But the Puerto Rico native has always relied more on pace, knack, and overall playmaking nuance than physical attributes to be effective, traits he won't lose after suffering such a devastating injury.
The Mavericks were always likely to retain Barea this summer. During his stint away from Dallas with the Minnesota Timberwolves toward the top of the decade, he struggled to duplicate the success that made him such a key component for Carlisle's team. Barea's injury simply made it easier for the Mavericks to bring him back, fully aware competing teams would be hesitant to offer him anything more than the minimum, if that, given his injury and age.
Barea is likely to miss the first couple months of 2019-20 while continuing to recover. Once he returns, expect him to be granted every opportunity for playing time behind new starting point guard Patrick Beverley, likely alongside fellow backup guard Jalen Brunson in reserve units.
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