Free-agent guard J.J. Barea has agreed to a guaranteed one-year, $2.6-million deal to return to the Dallas Mavericks, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.
The return of Barea to the Mavericks is a bit of a surprise, since the 36-year-old, who evidently still wishes to play, appeared close to leaving the NBA for the chance to continue to take to the hardwood. But on a minimum deal and considering the relationship between Barea and the organization (he has spent 11 total seasons with the franchise, including the 2010-11 championship campaign), the move is understandable.
In early 2019, Barea suffered a torn right Achilles tendon that many thought would signal the end of his career in light of his age (34 at the time) and size (a mere 5-10). But the spunky guard found his way back onto the team last season regardless, and saw his role fluctuate from nights with no minutes to starting based on the availability of his teammates.
He will once again figure to be handling a small on-court responsibility this season, especially with the recent news of the Mavericks signing guard Trey Burke for backup depth, as the franchise continues to move forward into the Luka Doncic era, but there’s little question that Barea can still provide value on a number of levels.
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