Longtime Dallas Mavericks guard and NBA free agent JJ Barea is headed overseas after coming to terms with Argentine team Estudiantes to play in Spain's Liga Endesa. The New York Times' Marc Stein broke the news on Friday.
The longtime @dallasmavs guard JJ Barea is finalizing an agreement to sign with Estudiantes in Spain's @LigaEndesa, league sources say
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 23, 2021
JJ Barea, 36, last played for the Dallas Mavericks last season, where he spent the bulk of his NBA career. The Puerto Rican guard played in a diminished role and appeared in just 29 games, notching 7.7 points, 1,8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 15 minutes per contest.
Mavs fans were shocked when the team waived him last December after spending 11 seasons in the Big D. Dallas made sure he was compensated fairly and gave him one final contract worth $2.6 million before letting him go. The 5-foot-10 playmaker stayed in the free-agent pool since but received no offers from NBA teams this season.
Article Continues BelowHis fans, however, shouldn't fret as much since Barea will have an opportunity to return to the NBA if a contender signs him before the playoffs begin on May 18. However, this will only be possible if his commitment with the Estudiantes is over by the time.
Barea, who turned 36 in June, has been determined to keep playing in the NBA since his Dallas release in December and could have a chance to catch on with an NBA team before the playoffs begin May 18 with Estudiantes' season potentially ending before that
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 23, 2021
Despite being an undersized point guard in the best league in the world, JJ Barea certainly left a huge impact in the NBA. He was a vital part of the Mavs' lone NBA title back in 2011, giving that team a reliable sparkplug off the bench. Barea, meanwhile, is no stranger to the international game, considering he began his pro career in his hometown Puerto Rico. He has also represented his country numerous times in international competitions.