Yesterday the Mavericks announced the release of fan favorite J.J. Barea.
During his final press conference with the team, Barea, 36, couldn't help but hold back the tears when he was asked to describe his time with the Mavs. The veteran point guard said, "It still hasn't hit me, but I woke up today super happy," Barea said. "It's been an amazing time here in Dallas. I wouldn't change anything. But it's a tough day. It's the end of me as a player in Dallas, but [I have] nothing but good memories."
Barea's release came just a week after the Mavs signed him to a 1-year, $2.6 million guaranteed deal, though the team knew full and well his release would be coming. Owner Mark Cuban wanted to reward Barea for his time with the Mavs, including his vital role on the championship team in 2011.
Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said, "We've had an incredible, amazing ride with J.J.. "He, in a lot of respects, has been the heart and soul for us for many, many years and certainly the pride of Puerto Rico. Today that comes to a close as we're forced to make cuts. I think with the fact that we're on a little bit of a younger direction, let's call it, with our backup point guard prospects, certainly the writing was on the wall. We all understood that coming in. I think it was really more of an appreciation for J.J. and the amazing things he's done in his career, why we brought him back as the 16th player on this roster and gave him a thank-you of sorts."
Barea still wants to play next season, and will look to sign with other teams. He and Tyson Chandler remain the only players still active in the NBA from the Mavs 2011 championship team.
Via ESPN
