It’s pretty well known that J.J. Barea someday will be coaching, probably in the NBA.
Just don’t rush him into that job too quickly.
He’s not quite ready for the coaching gig, even if it were as a player-coach.
“Yeah, but not yet,” he said of the player-coach idea. “I still feel like I want to play. I know I can play. But later on in my career, in a couple years, I’ll definitely be on the coaching staff with Dallas.”
That’s then. This is now. And this summer is filled up for the 13-year NBA veteran as he continues his rehabilitation from a torn Achilles suffered in January.
Barea said on Wednesday that he is on track to be playing full strength by the time training camp begins in late September. He has progressed with his rehab to jumping up on boxes and jumping rope. He can shoot jumpers and do pck-and-roll maneuvers although full-on jumping remains off limits for the moment.
And, while teams are prohibited from commenting on free agents until they are officially signed, there are no such regulations preventing players from talking about their futures and Barea leaves no doubt about what he’s thinking in regard to his next contract. He plans to re-sign with the Mavericks after other incoming free agents formally complete their contracts.
“I ain’t trying to go nowhere,” Barea said. “We talked to Donnie (Nelson) and Mark (Cuban) and coach (Rick Carlisle). We got a plan. Hopefully it works out the way we want. I want to stay here so that’s the plan.”
And, though it will come barely eight months after his serious injury, Barea plans on being healthy for the start of training camp.
“I feel really good,” he said. “Every week, the workouts get better and faster and stronger. I feel good about starting training camp ready to go. I’m doing basketball (stuff). Pick and roll. I’m jumping rope already. I should be (jumping full speed) in the next couple weeks.”
Barea has spent this week taking part in Mavericks’ Hoop Camps and on Wednesday was in Plano entertaining about 200 kids at Prestonwood High School.
He said the goal is to give kids a high-five, try to give them as much time as he can and “help them feel a little closer to us, to the Mavericks.”
And deliver them the same sort of hope that he now has that the Mavericks’ darkest days are behind them. Winning 33, 24 and 33 games in the last three seasons has been a drain on everybody in the organization.
But Barea believes that with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis as young anchors, the franchise is in a much better position now than it was a couple years back.
“It’s been rough,” he said. “(But) I’m excited. We’re going to have some talent. Hopefully we can stay healthy and go from there. But it’s definitely going to be better than the last three years.”
Barea said that he feels like the Mavericks have had a solid offseason. Picking up Delon Wright, a 6-5 guard, gives the Mavericks the kind of backcourt threat that they haven’t had.
“He’s a good player,” Barea said. “I like bringing him here. The way he plays defensively, he’s athletic and can score at that position. It’s something we needed and I think it’s a great pickup for us.”
And he’s particularly excited about 7-3 Boban Marjanovic. Although Marjanovic has yet to make his deal official, the Mavericks and the big man have agreed in principle to a widely reported multiyear contract. And, again, while the team cannot talk about Boban until the signing is official, Barea has not such limitations.
“I’ve heard really good things about him as a teammate and as a person,” Barea said. “And he’s smart, especially coming off the bench for us. I don’t think we’re going to play him a lot (of minutes), but we’re going to play him, and when he’s out there, he’s going to help a lot.”
The bottom line is that the Mavericks’ roster has some young star power now. And the addition of solid supporting-role players should keep the arrow pointing upward after three rugged seasons.
Twitter: @ESefko
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