J.J. Barea: Is He an Expendable Player to the Dallas Mavericks?

The J.J. Barea craze was certainly in full swing during the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

The backup guard for the Dallas Mavericks was a fan favorite for everyone out there who has been told that they aren't quite tall enough to play in the NBA, and for everyone who has wanted to date a Miss Universe.

Everyone loved him. Well, except for Andrew Bynum.

Barea averaged a modest 9.5 points per game to go along with four assists and two rebounds during the regular season. On a side note, how does someone that short average two rebounds? Did Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki let him get them?

Barea made the highlights in the postseason with his ability to weave through defenses and finish with tough teardrop shots over seven-footers. He was the definition of a spark plug.

And with Jason Kidd only getting older, one would think that bringing back Barea would be a no-brainer. Right?

J.J. is a free agent this summer, and will definitely be a hot item. Teams tend to overreact to playoff success when it comes to paying free agents. The Miami Heat might be in the market for a point guard. Just saying.

Is Barea really that valuable to the Mavericks?

It's debatable, for sure.

While you may feel like he was lights out against the Heat, Barea shot only 38 percent from the floor during the NBA Finals. He only shot over 50 percent and scored in double digits in two of the six games.

Although he fared much better against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Barea struggled mightily against the Portland Trail Blazers.

With Jason Terry already coming off the bench, Barea's energy off the bench may not be necessary. I'm sure they could find a backup point guard through a trade or free agency that they could probably sign for cheaper than Barea, since J.J. will be overpayed.

And with Tyson Chandler due for a pay day, the Mavericks can't afford to overpay a backup guard.

No matter how popular he may be.

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