J.J. Barea spent the majority of the 2016-2017 season nursing a calf injury that cost him 47 games. Despite missing over half the season, Barea made the most of his limited time on the court by averaging 10.9 points, 5.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 22 minutes per game (all higher than his career averages) in 35 games played. Simply put, he showed that he can still be a factor for this team in the immediate future, if the Dallas Mavericks want him to be.
Barea will turn 33 years old this summer, and you get the feeling that his remaining time with the Mavs is limited given this season’s injection of youth.