North Texas has a familiar face returning to their basketball team. J.J. Barea officially signed a new contract with the Dallas Mavericks for one year. The 35-year-old will return to back up new point guard Delon Wright, but how else will J.J. Barea impact the Dallas Mavericks in 2019?
The 2019-20 Impact of J.J. Barea on the Dallas Mavericks
With the point guard position looking like its set in stone for the 2019 season, J.J. Barea will return for his 14th season in the NBA and his 11th with the Mavericks. Once considered one of the better back up point guards in the league, Barea will be recovering from an Achilles tear from January.
Barea has been a fan favorite for many years in Dallas and will be suiting up to be what looks like his final season. The presence of Barea for a young Mavericks team is vital for future success. As a Rick Carlisle favorite, this should be a good opportunity to get some sideline and coaching experience for the veteran. I can envision more of a player-coach role for Barea in the twilight of his career.
Barea has all of the tools that it takes to be put in a coaching position post-retirement. Determination, discipline, adversity and finding a way to get it done are all great traits to have in a leader. Boban Marjanovic and Courtney Lee will be included as the only players over 30 years old in the upcoming season for the Mavericks. It’s a new experience in Dallas, with a youth movement. Something that fans haven’t seen for a while in North Texas.
Fans should expect to see Barea suited up in blue and white by midseason. An average of 10 to 15 minutes per game should be a realistic expectation for the vet. Barea should receive a standing ovation at every home game for an all-time fan favorite. We will see if this is going to be a transition year for him to climb the coaching or front office ladder.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
