Dallas Mavericks: J.J. Barea discusses his contract status

Dallas Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea discussed his contract status during his exit interview. Will the Mavs bring Barea back?

Dallas Mavericks veteran J.J. Barea is facing a bit of uncertainty this offseason. He tore his Achilles in January and has a long recovery still ahead of him. To read more about that click here. Barea is also an unrestricted free agent this summer.

He has now played ten of his 13 NBA seasons with the Mavericks. Barea has also spent the last five in Dallas. He turns 35 in June, but what is his status going forward with the team?

The Dallas Mavericks held their exit interviews on April 11. J.J. Barea met with the media and sounded confident about returning next season. Here is what he said courtesy of Eddie Sefko.

Barea definitely wants to be in Dallas next season. He was also optimistic about his injury. Barea expressed that he expects to be ready for training camp. That is a lofty goal coming off a serious injury but never bet against J.J. See his full conference with the media below.

Expect Barea to reprise his role of point guard and leader of the second unit once back to full strength. The Barea and Dwight Powell pick and roll has been an effective weapon for the Mavs offense in recent years. That should continue next season as well.

Final thoughts

The Dallas Mavericks and J.J. Barea appear headed for a reunion. The point guard was playing the basketball of his career before an Achilles injury ended his season. Expect him back fully healthy and filling his normal role before the calendar flips to 2020.

Barea’s understanding of Carlisle’s offense pays dividends for the Mavs. He can attack and find open shots for every player on the floor. That will be important especially if the Mavericks make some moves this offseason and continue shaking up their roster.

Stay tuned for the latest updates on J.J. Barea’s contract status and the Dallas Mavericks here at The Smoking Cuban.