J.J. Barea Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mark Cuban: “We’ve Gone Through A Rebuild In One Season”

March 10th, 2017 at 4:34pm CST by Milo Taibi

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban discussed his team in a Q&A with Shaun Powell of NBA.com. The interview spanned a variety of subjects- even touching on politics toward the end- but Cuban was sure to praise the “reinvigorated” Dirk Nowitzki, as well as scrappy guards Yogi Ferrell and Seth Curry.

“This has reinvigorated Dirk. He sees the big picture,” Cuban said of Nowitzki’s choice to ‘ride it out’ in Dallas. “We’re in a win-win situation. We lose, we get a better draft pick, we win we get into the playoffs. It’s fun. It feels a lot more like 2000 when I first brought the team. All this young energy, exciting, fun to watch, we’re at a place where we’re not supposed to be.”

Cuban has reason to be pleased with Dallas’ season. Having gotten off to a 5-18 start in 2016/17, it looked as though the Mavs were in for a lost season. Several key contributors have helped right the ship, however. Ferrell and Curry have supplanted J.J. Barea and Devin Harris as Rick Carlisle‘s primary guards, Harrison Barnes has overcome a shaky start to the season, and Nerlens Noel looks like a stellar trade deadline pick-up.

“He has the most understated swag I’ve ever seen. His brother [Stephen] likes to dance. Seth will just kill you and then give you a little hand motion. He’s so non-demonstrative,” Cuban said. “To me, the more of a show you put on when you do something, the less swag you have. He doesn’t tell you, he scoreboards you, and to me, that’s the ultimate swag. We want him to be here forever. He’s our kind of guy.”

In Cuban’s mind, the team’s abbreviated rebuilding period has been a group effort.

“We’ve basically gone through a rebuild in one season. It’s a credit to Rick (Carlisle, the Mavericks coach) but also everyone on this team,” Cuban said. “There’s still a lot more to do. Nobody’s writing us in for The Finals this year. Our guys really worked hard, as hard or harder than any team in the league. Look at Miami. They’ve undergone a lot of changes too, much like we have, and they just play harder. I remember the Celtics after they traded off Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and they tried to find themselves and they did that by playing their asses off. That’s who we are now. Teams kind of look at our talent and don’t know what to expect but it’s hard to keep up with us when you go 15 deep with guys playing hard. It’s our calling card. I love it.”

Southwest Rumors: Parsons, Barea, Cuban, Gasol

March 2nd, 2017 at 10:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Chandler Parsons is frustrated by his subpar play but Grizzlies coach David Fizdale indicated Thursday that the small forward will remain in the rotation, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com reports. Parsons signed a four-year, $94MM free agent contract last summer but has battled knee injuries while averaging 6.1 PPG on 34.5% shooting in 19.5 MPG. Fitzdale said Parsons remains a big part of the team’s plans this season but admits Parsons is feeling the heat. “He feels like he’s letting his team down, he feels like he’s letting this city down, and he doesn’t want that,” Fizdale told the assembled media.

In other news around the Southwest Division:

Point guard J.J. Barea hopes he can return to action during the Mavericks’ five-game homestand that begins on Friday, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Barea hasn’t played since January 20th after straining his left calf. Barea joined the team on their road trip to Atlanta on Wednesday to work out with team’s training staff, Sefko adds.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would like to see the team grab a playoff spot but doesn’t see a downside regardless of how the season plays out, Sefko writes in a separate story. Dallas currently trails the Nuggets by 3 1/2 games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. “To me, it’s a win-win,” Cuban told Sefko. “If we lose, we get a better draft pick. If we win, we get in the playoffs.”
Spurs center Pau Gasol doesn’t mind coming off the bench, as Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com relays. Gasol found himself on the second unit this week after returning from a fractured finger on his left hand. Dewayne Dedmon started at center. “I think [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] is trying to do a good job of putting the best lineups and how they work together, and also maximizing everyone’s talents,” Gasol told Wright. “With the second unit, I have more opportunities to score, to play my game. With the first unit, it’s a little more limited, my options.”

Mavs Working On Buyout Agreement With Deron Williams

February 23rd, 2017 at 2:57pm CST by ChrisCrouse

2:57 PM: Dallas has told Williams that the team will pay him the full remaining amount of his $9MM salary if he would like to become a free agent, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).

2:37 PM: The Mavericks are working with Deron Williams to come to an agreement on a buyout, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The scribe adds that the Cavs, Jazz, and Hawks expressed interest in the point guard via trade. There would presumably be more teams interested in him should he hit the open market.

Williams sat out practice over the last two days with what coach Rick Carlisle is calling a “pending situation,” Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). Williams is making $9MM this season after signing a one-year deal to return the Mavs during the offseason.

Dallas will be thin at the point guard position if it cuts ties with Williams. J.J. Barea remains out with a calf injury and he’s expected to miss at least three more contests. MacMahon (Twitter link) notes that the team could look to add a player via another 10-day deal.

The ESPN scribe adds that the team is preparing to give its top point guard spot to rookie Yogi Ferrell. Ferrell got his chance in Dallas after signing a 10-day contract earlier this season. He thrived in the starting role and helped the team get back into the playoff picture, as the Mavs sit just three games behind the Nuggets in the Western Conference’s eighth seed race.

Pierre Jackson is a player to keep an eye on later in the season, though that’s merely my speculation. Jackson was playing well for Dallas before straining his hamstring, an event that led the team to sign Ferrell. The injury was nearly a month ago and if Jackson is healthy enough to play, he could be a candidate to come to the team. However, it’s worth noting that a deal would have to be for the remainder of the season since Dallas already signed him to two 10-day deals.

Mavs Reluctant To Move Deron Williams?

January 30th, 2017 at 6:05pm CST by Milo Taibi

In his “Monday Morning Tip” column, David Alridge of NBA.com divulged an interesting tidbit from the Mavericks‘ front office. Explaining why Dallas isn’t in the market for Carmelo Anthony, Aldridge noted that Wesley Matthews is “off-limits,” as is Deron Williams. Signed to a one-year, $9MM pact, Williams also isn’t interested in a buyout.

It’s to be expected that Donnie Nelson would hesitate to include Matthews in trade talks; Matthews has kept Dallas’ offense afloat through much of the season and is under contract through 2018/19. What’s more surprising is Williams’ unavailable status. A 32-year-old veteran, Williams has posted solid numbers while remaining healthy, with the exception of an eight-game stretch in November. Once J.J. Barea returns from a calf injury, Dallas will have a loaded depth chart at the 1, making Williams expendable for a team without playoff aspirations.

Dallas News columnist Tim Cowlishaw had a different take when it came to Williams’ trade status, observing “I would certainly trade Deron Williams if there was any trade interest although I can’t imagine that would amount to much with his age and injury status.”

Barea To Miss Weeks With Calf Injury

January 21st, 2017 at 8:22am CST by Austin Kent

The Mavs could be without J.J. Barea for weeks, says Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. In Friday night’s contest the veteran point guard injured his calf muscle and knew automatically that something was wrong.

“After a shot, I went to step to the side, and I think I ran into the fans behind me and the fans sitting down,” Barea told Sneed for his official report after the game. “I looked back, but nobody touched me. When I went to step, that’s when I knew.”

The loss is just the latest injury to impact the team that wasn’t expected to struggle as much as they have throughout the first half of 2016/17. Dallas sits 14th in the Western Conference with a 14-29 record.

In 18 healthy games for the Mavs so far this season, Barea has averaged 12.2 points, 4.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He’s under contract through the 2018/19 season with a cap hit of $4.1MM this year.

Expect reserve Pierre Jackson, currently signed to a 10-day contract, to get extra opportunities for the Mavs while they have him under contract.

Clippers Notes: Griffin, Rivers, Paul, Mavericks

January 20th, 2017 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are hoping Blake Griffin will be able to play during their upcoming road trip, according to Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. The star forward has been sidelined since undergoing surgery in December to clear some “loose bodies” in his right knee. Griffin underwent stress tests on the knee Thursday and is expected to participate in some contact work today. The team is hoping he will be medically cleared for game action during the five-game trip, which extends through February 1st.

There’s more Clippers news out of Los Angeles:

Coach Doc Rivers suspected a problem with Griffin’s knee when he noticed the All-Star forward wasn’t getting past defenders as easily as he normally does. Rivers told Rowan Kavner of NBA.com that Griffin is starting to regain that ability again. “He looks great,” the coach said. “I don’t think the timeframe has changed. I know he feels wonderful. He looks like he’s explosive again.”
Rivers is planning to use several players to make up for the loss of Chris Paul, who will be out six to eight weeks following thumb surgery, Woike writes in a separate story. That means increased minutes for Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford, J.J. Redick and possibly Austin Rivers. “It’s still next man up,” Doc Rivers said. “You take the top two players from any team, it makes it harder, but I don’t agree that it means that you struggle. You lose two guys, there’s nothing you can do about it. I think our guys have handled it well.”
The Mavericks have a surplus of point guards who might interest the Clippers, suggests Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Dallas could offer Deron Williams, who will be a free agent after this season, Devin Harris, who is signed for one more year at a little more than $4.4MM, or J.J. Barea, who has two seasons left at about $3.9MM and $3.7MM.

Texas Notes: Bogut, Barea, Nene, Ennis

December 26th, 2016 at 8:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks center Andrew Bogut, who has been sidelined since December 5th with a bone bruise on his right knee, could be back on the court this week, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Coach Rick Carlisle announced the news today on Bogut, who started 16 games before the injury. The 32-year-old, who was acquired in a trade from Golden State to sure up the Mavericks’ interior defense, is averaging 3.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per night. He was considered a prime candidate to be traded again when Dallas was at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but Mavericks may consider keeping him as they inch back toward playoff contention. The way he and the team play between now and the February 23rd trade deadline could determine how long he stays in Dallas.

There’s more basketball news out of Texas:

Carlisle also indicated good news might be coming about J.J. Barea, according to Sneed (Twitter link). The backup guard, who has been out with a muscle strain in his left leg, still has no timetable to return, but his coach says it’s “on the shorter end of things.” Barea has only been available for 11 games this season.
The Rockets‘ plan for veteran center Nene involves more games and fewer minutes, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. With starting center Clint Capela out a month or more with a fracture in his left fibula, Houston needs Nene to play in back-to-back games. The Rockets play the Suns tonight and the Mavericks on Tuesday, and coach Mike D’Antoni plans to limit him to fewer than 20 minutes in the second game. “I think it’s working out,” D’Antoni said. “I talked to him [Monday]. He said he’s feeling great. I would like to avoid some back-to-backs, but we can’t right now. The sooner we get Clint back the better.”
Tyler Ennis hasn’t played much since coming to Houston in a September trade, but he is hoping to be part of the Canadian National Team, Feigen relays in a separate story. Ennis met tonight with Suns assistant Jay Triano, who serves as Canada’s coach, to discuss his future role with the squad. “I’ve always played for the national team,” Ennis said. “With the Canadian guys we have in the NBA now, there’s more interest in playing. Hopefully, one summer, we’ll get everybody to come and play. We’re all pretty young.”

Southwest Notes: Parsons, Bogut, Barea

December 19th, 2016 at 8:52pm CST by Austin Kent

Chandler Parsons could be back in action for the Grizzlies in a “matter of days,” tweets Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal. The news is the latest in a series of positive headlines for a franchise that has already recently welcomed back Mike Conley and James Ennis.

Parsons has been out of action since November 18 when he sustained a bone bruise on his left knee, the latest in a concerning line of various knee ailments. On Monday, however, the 28-year-old forward practiced for the first time in a month and spoke with Tillery about getting back into routine with the Grizzlies.

Having fallen victim to knee injuries twice in the past year (he had surgery on his right knee back in March), Parsons will have his work cut out for him to prove that he can be a reliable option for the Grizzlies. In a feature for CBS Sports earlier this month, James Herbert detailed some of the small forward’s previous injuries, going so far as to say that concern over his torn meniscus is what led to the Mavericks opting against signing him to a long-term contract over the summer.

In six games of limited action prior to the bone bruise, Parsons had been brought along slowly and posted averages of 7.7 points and 3 rebounds per game.

Elsewhere in the Southwest Division:

J.J. Barea will play for the Mavericks tonight in their tilt against the Nuggets, says Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Not surprisingly, he will be on a minute restriction after missing the last 17 games with a calf injury.
SportsDay’s Eddie Sefko thinks that the Mavericks would be ready and willing to ship out Andrew Bogut should a contending team inquire about him over the course of the season. Bogut had been averaging 3.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game before suffering a bone bruise earlier this month.
The Spurs retired Tim Duncan‘s jersey Sunday and the tribute videos are out in full force. The NBA’s YouTube channel has uploaded the full retirement ceremony and San Antonio’s official website is celebrating 21 Days of TD.

Mavs Notes: Finney-Smith, Nowitzki, Matthews

December 13th, 2016 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Dorian Finney-Smith has been a pleasant surprise for the Mavericks this season, starting 16 games for the team and contributing 21.1 minutes per game. After Monday night’s win over the Nuggets, in which Finney-Smith contributed 13 points and nine boards, Deron Williams suggested that the undrafted rookie is “putting himself in a good position to get a long-term contract next year from somebody” (Twitter link via Earl K. Sneed of Mavericks.com).

Perhaps the veteran point guard was projecting — while Williams’ deal with the Mavs expires next summer, Finney-Smith is under contract with the team for two more non-guaranteed seasons, so Dallas shouldn’t have to worry about losing him to a rival suitor anytime soon.

Here are a few more Mavericks-related notes:

In a conversation with Chris Mannix (Twitter video link), Bobby Marks of The Vertical discusses the outlook for the Mavs, including addressing whether it might be time for the club to consider trading Dirk Nowitzki.
Since joining the Mavericks in the summer of 2015, Wesley Matthews hasn’t looked like the same player he was in Portland, but his performance recently suggests he may finally be shedding the effects of his Achilles injury and playing up to his potential, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.
Speaking of injuries, Nowitzki and J.J. Barea are expected to ramp up their activity this week, but it’s still not clear when they’ll get back on the court for the Mavs, says Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News.
In a chat for The Morning News, Sefko offered some thoughts on where he’d start if he were tasked with fixing the Mavs, and explored how the team might be able to add a second first-round pick for 2017.

Southwest Notes: Motiejunas, Grizzlies, Barea

November 23rd, 2016 at 6:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets haven’t cut ties completely with Donatas Motiejunas even though they pulled their latest contract offer today, relays Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston. Speaking to reporters before tonight’s game, coach Mike D’Antoni said he understands the business aspects of Motiejunas’ situation. He added that the Rockets are moving on without the 26-year-old power forward, but will adjust if necessary. “You always move on; we’re not waiting for him,” D’Antoni said. “You try to develop guys and develop roles, and we are doing that. At the same time, he’s that good that if things change we’ll welcome him in.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Injuries are testing the Grizzlies‘ depth at small forward, writes Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Chandler Parsons, who joined the team on a max contract this summer, has a bone bruise on his left knee, and backup James Ennis is suffering from a strained right calf. Both are expected to be out of action for about two weeks. Troy Daniels started tonight for Memphis, but veteran Vince Carter, undrafted free agent Troy Williams and second-year forward Jarell Martin may all see increased playing time.
Mavericks guard J.J. Barea is optimistic about his timetable after a severe calf strain, posts Tim MacMahon on ESPN Now. Barea was originally projected to be sidelined for two months, but he believes the recovery time will be closer to six weeks.
Spurs veteran guard Manu Ginobili said a less intense attitude played into his decision to return to the NBA for another season. The 39-year-old, who pondered retirement this summer before accepting San Antonio’s offer, said winning and losing used to bother him so much that he couldn’t even enjoy being in the NBA Finals. “I decided the last few years not to let a win or a loss affect my everyday life, my family’s life, and all that,” Ginobili said. “So I’m way more relaxed. I decided to come back because I feel I still enjoy it. I can still help the team. That’s it.”