DALLAS – J. J. Barea will undergo season-ending surgery on Monday to repair his torn right Achilles tendon.
No timetable has been set for his return. But it’s clear that Barea’s absence will be a big blow to the Mavs.
“It’s gut-wrenching for all of us,” coach Rick Carlisle said prior to Sunday’s game against the Golden State Wariors. “Its gut-wrenching for the team, for the coaches, for the fans, and I do think that he will be back.
“I really do believe that he will be back, but it’s hard to put into a few words what J. J. Barea has meant to everybody here. He’s one of the really truly most resourceful players in Mavericks history. A great winner and a leader, and he was having another great year.”
Barea suffered his injury midway through the fourth quarter of Friday’s game in Minnesota when he took a pass form Jalen Brunson and drove in a scored on a layup on the heels of light contact with a Timberwolves defender.
“It’s obviously tough to see, tough to watch,” guard Devin Harris said. “He means so much to our team, so much to the community.
“It’s tough to see him go down that way, especially on a simple play, a layup like that. But he’s resilient. He’s got his mind right and in the right direction. He’s getting rehab and getting (the surgery) done as soon as possible and he’s encouraged about coming back.”
Barea is so well respected around the league that, without being prompted, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr started his pregame interview session by sending well-wishes to the 13-year veteran.
“I wish J. J. Barea well,” Kerr said. “We were all sad to hear about the injury. He’s just one of the great competitors in the league, one of my favorite players to watch. His story is amazing.
“You hate to see anybody go down, but J. J;, especially just the way he competes, the way he carries himself. Tough blow for Dallas, tough blow for the league. We wish him well — quick recovery.”
Barea averages 10.9 points and a team-high 5.6 assists per game, and basically is the leader of the Mavs’ second unit. Players like Brunson and Harris will be counted on to fill he void.
“Everybody’s got to pick it up, I think that’s the bottom line,” Carlisle said. “It’s hard to replace a guy that’s been here for over a decade and set a great example and been really the leader of that (second) group the last two years.
“He was having another brilliant season. Last year he was tremendous, this year, really, the same. It’s going to be a void.”
Brunson, who is having an impactful season, had been leaning heavily on Barea for advice as he makes his way through the NBA wars.
“There’s more playing time for me now, but it’s definitely not the way I wanted to get it,” Brunson said. “I’m going to try to take advantage of it.
“I’m definitely going to keep talking to him because he’s helped me a lot and I’m going to keep picking his brain. When he’s not on the sidelines, I’ll call him and talk to him and see what he has to say.”
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