J.J. Barea to Mavericks: Latest Contract Details, Analysis and Reaction
In 2011, J.J. Barea's playoff heroics earned him a lucrative four-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Finally freed from the frigid north, Barea is headed back to where it all started.ย ย ย ย
ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon reported Barea has signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks for the veteran's minimum. The Mavericks have waived Israeli guard Gal Mekel to make room on their 15-man roster.
Barea, 30, reached a buyout agreement with the Timberwolves on Monday. The diminutive guard and Minnesota came to a middle ground when it became clear coach Flip Saunders had no intention on making Barea a part of the rotation this season. Minnesota had a depth-laden roster with more than the maximum of 15 guaranteed contracts, and given the number of times Saunders tried trading Barea this summer, his departure was natural.
The Timberwolves are paying Barea an undisclosed percentage of his $4.5 million contract for 2014. As soon as news hit that Barea would be hitting the open market, the Mavericks emerged as a natural fit. The Northeastern product played his first five seasons in Dallas, emerging from undrafted status to a critical bench role.
Barea scored 32 points in the Mavericks' two close-out wins over the Miami Heat in the 2011 Finals. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported earlier this week that both sides were looking for a reunion. Dallas owner Mark Cuban met withย Mekel on Monday to let him know he'd be let go if Barea cleared waivers.
"We talked for over an hour. I just told him the exact truth," Cuban said, per Eddieย Sefkoย ofย The Dallas Morning News. "We told him this is what might happen. Here is the options we have. Whatโs the best option for you in your mind? Some guys will try to find a trade spot. I wanted to communicate. Heโs been our most improved player in training camp, and I wanted to be completely transparent with him.
Mekel did not play in the Mavericks' season-opening loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. A European star after leaving Wichita State in 2008, Mekel signed a three-year contract with the Mavericks before last season. He played 31 games as a rookie in 2013-14, averaging 2.4 points and two assists while also appearing for the D-League's Texas Legends.
Dallas will be responsible for the remaining two years of Mekel's contract. He will be placed on waivers for the next 48 hours before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Because Mekel's contract is a veteran's minimum deal, it'll be interesting to see whether a team takes the plunge rather than risking him hitting the free-agent market.
Barea, meanwhile, joins an already muddied Mavericks point guard rotation. Jameer Nelson received the start Tuesday, and Rick Carlisle mixed in Devin Harris and Monta Ellis at the spot. Raymond Felton, acquired in an offseason trade with the New York Knicks, is also expected to compete for the backup job when he returns from injury.
Barea is coming off a three-year stretch in Minnesota where he failed to make any discernible improvements. He averaged 8.4 points and 3.8 assists per game last season, making just 38.7 percent of his shots overall and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc. Where the 2011 Mavericks could survive with his sporadic outbursts, the Timberwolves offense stagnated when he was on the floor.
It'll be interesting to see if he can recapture the magic in his second go-around in Dallas.
Barea is the second 2011 champion brought back into the fold by Cuban, joining center Tyson Chandler.
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