Dallas Mavericks: J.J. Barea is ready to play but faces crowded backcourt

Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea was a healthy DNP-CD on opening night. What should fans expect in the immediate future for the Mavs legend?

The Dallas Mavericks opened the regular season with a victory on Oct. 23. Luka Doncic produced a brilliant performance to lead Dallas to a 108-100 win over the Washington Wizards.

There were a ton of positives that came out of the Mavs’ first season-opening win since 2015. Kristaps Porzingis scored 23 points in his return from a torn ACL. Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Seth Curry all had strong performances off the bench for Dallas too.

The surprise of the night was J.J. Barea never checking into the game. Mavericks fans know he suffered a torn Achilles in January. The 35-year-old made a speedy recovery to play in preseason games. He is still working his way back, though.

Carlisle on Barea

Coach Carlisle was asked about Barea’s availability after practice on Oct. 24. Hear the coach’s comments below.

Credit goes out to Barea for making an impact on the game while not being in the rotation. That is not easy to do. Expect the veteran to make a difference in every game with his leadership and communication.

Role moving forward

Brunson has clearly passed Barea as the lead ball-handler of the second unit. That is not surprising because the second-year guard has played phenomenally so far this year.

The Mavericks also have Luka Doncic, Delon Wright, and Seth Curry playing minutes at the two guard spots. That does not leave any playing time for Barea.

That will inevitably change, though. There will be an injury, or the Mavs may just need a spark. That is when Barea will be called upon. Expect the 35-year-old to be ready to produce when the moment comes.

The Smoking Cuban will have everything fans need to know about J.J. Barea this season plus analysis on the team that is unmatched, so checking back to the site is a must.