The Mavericks opened training camp Tuesday with about as much good health as a team can realistically expect. J.J. Barea, who missed the last half of the 2018-19 season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon, went through virtually all of the first practice session. Kristaps Porzingis, last year’s blockbuster addition who missed the entire season after major knee surgery, was a full participant. And Tim Hardaway Jr., who had left tibia surgery for a stress reaction that cut his 2018-19 season short by 11 games, also had no limitations.
More on Jose Juan Barea Injury
Tim MacMahon: Mavs guard J.J. Barea has opted to take a cautious approach in his recovery from a ruptured Achilles instead of pushing to play for Puerto Rico in the World Cup. Barea is encouraged with his progress but has accepted that rushing to play in less than 8 months isn’t worth risk.
Tim MacMahon: Barea told ESPN that this was an extremely difficult decision due to how much pride he takes in representing Puerto Rico. He’s still trying to help his national team in the World Cup by recruiting pro players with Puerto Rican roots.
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.
J.J. Barea cringed when watching Game 5 of the NBA finals and seeing superstar Kevin Durant hopping on his left foot, reaching for his right Achilles and then plopping onto his backside, clearly in pain. Barea suffered a torn Achilles tendon on Jan. 11. Tuesday marked the five-month mark in his rehabilitation.
One thing that Barea said Durant can without question expect is a long, arduous and at times boring grind that will not end for Durant until sometime in 2020. “I’m five months into it,” the 34-year-old guard said. “I’m basically coming in everyday from 9 to 12 in the morning and I do weights, then do court work and then go back to weights. But I’m basically doing it all on the court already. I’m doing pick-and-rolls, floaters, 3-point shots, a little bit of conditioning. I feel great.”
Barea has his annual basketball camp for kids on July 1, before the expected birth of their son, and his charity golf tournament is in Puerto Rico in early August. Also, it’s still possible Barea could be involved with the Puerto Rico national team in the basketball world cup. “I 100 percent want to do it,” Barea said. “It’s a possibility. A couple weeks before, I’ll decide. It’s going to be hard to do, but I don’t want to close the door on it. My doctors say I should be able to do whatever I want on the court by August.”
Dwain Price: "I’m very optimistic that he’s going to make a comeback to the court successful. He has a history of being a very good healer." -- Carlisle on J. J. Barea, who underwent right Achilles tendon surgery on Jan. 14
Adrian Wojnarowski: The NBA has awarded the Dallas Mavericks a Disabled Player Exception of $1.85M with the loss of JJ Barea for the season, league sources tell ESPN. Dallas can use $1.95M to acquire a player in a trade. DPE expires March 11, 2019.
Bobby Marks: Dallas will need to have a roster spot to either sign, claim or trade for a player that has one year left on their contract. The Mavericks currently have the league maximum 15 players.
A day after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair his torn right Achilles tendon, Dallas Mavericks guard J. J. Barea is resting comfortably. And looking forward to getting back on the court at some point next season. “His spirits are good,” coach Rick Carlisle said after Tuesday’s practice at the Lympo practice facilities. “From everything I understand the surgery went extremely well. I think everybody texted with him yesterday from the team. A lot of us are going to go see him today.”
“The indications are that the surgery went as well as could possibly be expected,” Carlisle said. “It’s going to be a long road, but I defy anyone to bet against J. J. Barea on anything. It’s a great challenge, but he’s taken them on his whole life and his whole career.”
An MRI conducted Saturday on J. J. Barea revealed that the Dallas Mavericks’ 13-year veteran guard suffered a rupture of his right Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter of Friday’s road game in Minnesota. The Mavs noted that Barea is currently weighing his surgery options and that an update will be given at a later date.
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that Barea would get an MRI on Saturday to determine the severity of what the team officially referred to as a "right lower leg injury." Barea, 34, a longtime Dallas fan favorite who played a key role on the 2011 championship team, has been the leader of one of the NBA's most effective bench units this season. He is averaging 10.9 points and 5.6 assists in 19.8 minutes per game.
Mark Followill: Dennis Smith Jr and JJ Barea are both out vs Sacramento tonight
Dwain Price: Barea (ankle) said he's going to play Tuesday against the Nuggets. @Dallas Mavericks
Dwain Price: J. J. Barea (ankle) will not play tonight. @Dallas Mavericks
Dwain Price: Carlisle on Barea (groin), Matthews (hamstring) and Powell (knee) not playing tonight against Memphis: "These guys are all considered day-to-day, which is good. But at this point and time the smart thing to do is to sit Barea, Powell and Matthews tonight." @Dallas Mavericks
Eddie Sefko: Barea, Matthews and Powell all out tonight.
Dwain Price: Carlisle on Barea (hamstring): "Barea is doing better. He did some noncontact things and did some full court running today. He’ll be back at some point but we’re not going to put him out there until he’s absolutely 100 percent and has at least 1 or 2 practices under his belt."
Bobby Karalla: Carlisle said Barea will fly home after aggravating his oblique and will rejoin the team after the road trip. Barea said he will not play again this season. Doesn't want to aggravate it any further ahead of the summer.
Dwain Price: Guard J.J. Barea didn't make the trip to Cali. for personal reasons and will miss tomorrow's game against the Kings and Wednesday's game against the Lakers. #mavs
Earl K. Sneed: J.J. Barea will return tonight after missing three games with a left oblique strain. #DALatSAC
Eddie Sefko: JJ Barea (rib) will not play tonight at Denver, per Rick Carlisle.
Earl K. Sneed: J.J. Barea (left groin strain) is in uniform for the @Dallas Mavericks and will return after missing the Mavs' 105-102 defeat in Denver. #DALatPOR
Earl K. Sneed: Rick Carlisle says J.J. Barea has a groin that has been bothering him. "It was clear he was struggling." #DALvsLAL
Earl K. Sneed: Per @MavsPR, Nerlens Noel (left knee soreness) is out vs. Phoenix. J.J. Barea (left calf) is probable. #DALvsPHX
This time the Mavericks believe they have corrected the problem and don’t foresee any future issues with the 11-year veteran. “Yeah, I feel really good,” Barea said Thursday. “We were more patient this time – did a lot of extra stuff – so hopefully I’m able to start [Friday] and then finish the year strong.” Barea will be on a minutes restriction, but coach Rick Carlisle didn’t provide a number.
Coach Rick Carlisle said guard J.J. Barea (calf) should be ready to play in the March 10 home game against Brooklyn. He’s missed the last 17 games.
Eddie Sefko: The earliest J.J. Barea will play is a week from today, coach Rick Carlisle said Friday.
Eddie Sefko: Rick Carlisle said new 10-day guys Quinn Cook,Ben Bentil will be active tonight. J.J. Barea is out. What does that say about A.J. Hammons?
Earl K. Sneed: Rick Carlisle says J..J. Barea (left calf strain) will most likely be out until after the All-Star break.
Earl K. Sneed: Per @MavsPR, J.J. Barea (left calf strain) & Andrew Bogut (right hamstring strain) are out Sunday vs. the Lakers. #DALvsLAL
Earl K. Sneed: Rick Carlisle says J.J. Barea will most likely be out weeks, not days, with the left calf strain. #DALvsUTA
The non-contact injury occurred late in the fourth quarter when Barea simply went up for a jump shot. “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 Mavs.com after the game. “I looked back, but nobody touched me. When I went to step, that’s when I knew something was wrong with my calf.”
Eddie Sefko: More Barea: "We’re winning games. And I was feeling good. And it happened again. I’m going to have to shut it down for a while.”
Seeing his team in need of a spark after falling to 1-1 on their current homestand following Thursday’s 102-95 loss to Phoenix, veteran guard J.J. Barea hopes to make his return to the lineup Saturday night and provide a boost for the Dallas Mavericks.
Earl K. Sneed: Per @MavsPR, Jose Juan Barea (left leg muscle strain) & Andrew Bogut (rest) are out vs. Golden State. Dirk Nowitzki (illness) is questionable.
Tim MacMahon: Mavs guard J.J. Barea is expected to be considered day-to-day after Christmas, a source told ESPN. Further testing on his lower left leg indicated that Barea's muscle strain isn't serious. Barea was pulled early from Wednesday's win in Portland, his second game back after missing a month due to a calf strain, after experiencing pain in the area of his Achilles tendon. He was sent back to Dallas for further testing, which confirmed that this soreness is related to the previous calf strain, and will not be available for tonight's road game against the Clippers.
Earl K. Sneed: Per @MavsPR, J.J. Barea (left calf strain) has been upgraded to questionable tonight in Denver. Dirk Nowitzki & Andrew Bogut are out.
Earl K. Sneed: J.J. Barea says he hopes to return to game action sometime next week. He will ramp up his activity in practice over the next week.
In the midst of his best start to an NBA season, J.J. Barea said Thursday he will miss about a month and a half of action with the Dallas Mavericks due to a left leg injury. Shortly after being evaluated by the organization's medical staff, Barea spoke with El Nuevo Día and revealed he suffered a tear in a muscle connecting his left calf to his Achilles tendon.
J.J. Barea on his calf strain: "Hopefully I don't need surgery or anything, just got to wait. Never felt that feeling before, so hopefully it's not that bad. Feels like you got shot or you're trying to run and get shot in the leg. That's how you feel for a second. I've been having problems with my Achilles lately and I thought it was it, but it's fine so hopefully it's not bad."
But with his health in question, the Puerto Rican national team may be forced to qualify for the Olympics without their unquestioned leader. With that said, Barea vows to return to his elite play next season, hoping to use this summer to recover from his minor aches and pains. “I’ve got to let the groin heal and just get some rest. I’ve got to get a small scope on my right knee, and then we’ll go from there,” Barea explained.
He added: “I’ve got to give this some rest. And when this is all good, I’ll see how I feel and make a decision. … You know, it’s super important for me to play for Puerto Rico, and I think it also helps me to stay ready for the next season, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Tim MacMahon: Mavs guard J.J. Barea will get his right knee scoped this week to clean up the meniscus. He hopes to play for Puerto Rico this summer, but that will depend on his health.
Earl K. Sneed: J.J. Barea says he will need a scope to address his right medial meniscus this week. He will also let his right groin heal.
Barea will miss Game 2 because of a groin strain that sidelined him for two of the Mavs' last three regular-season games. He aggravated the injury on a layup during the second quarter Saturday and did not return to the game after fouling on the next possession. Williams is listed as doubtful because of a sports hernia that caused him to miss eight games late in the regular season. He performed poorly in Game 1, scoring only two points on 1-of-9 shooting in 22 minutes.
Earl K. Sneed: JJ Barea says he's out for Game 2 with a right groin strain. Hopes to return later in the series. #DALatOKC
Tim MacMahon: Rick Carlisle says he is "very, very concerned" about the status of J.J. Barea after the Mavs guard aggravated his strained groin.
Earl K. Sneed: Per @MavsPR, J.J. Barea is done for the night with a right groin strain. #DALatOKC
