Ex-Mavs guard J.J. Barea talks Dallas’ bounce-back chances, keys to improving defense

Former Mavericks guard J.J. Barea recently joined the G-Bag Nation on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM] to give his thoughts on the newfound Dirk Nowitzki-Dwyane Wade friendship and Dallas’ chances at bouncing back in 2023.

Here are some highlights, edited for clarity:

Mavs fans don’t like Dwyane Wade very much. What do you think about his new friendship with Dirk Nowitzki that formed during Hall of Fame inductions?

Barea: “I don’t like it either. No, but Dwyane Wade, he’s a good dude. We competed and we didn’t like each other back then on the floor. But outside the court, Dwyane Wade is a good dude. Every time I had time to spend time with him, or talk to him, I think he’s a competitor just like Dirk. Just like us. But yeah, I got a lot of respect for Dwyane Wade.”

That was a special group you guys had in 2011. How many of those guys do you still talk to or hang out with from time to time?

Barea: “Like you said, the group was special. There’s never going to be a group like that. Me and Dirk have a good relationship. Jason Terry and I, Tyson [Chandler] and I. [Jason Kidd], well he’s coaching now, so I talk to him every once in a while. But yeah, mostly Dirk and [Terry]. Devin Harris wasn’t on the championship team, but he’s a really good, close friend. But yeah, that team is special. Anytime we run into each other at a game or hanging out, or at an NBA event, we go back and we hug each other. It was a special time and you become family after you win a championship together.”

What do you like about Kidd as head coach of the Mavs?

Barea: “Well, he’s been through it. He’s been through the fire, he’s been through the goods, the bads. He has a lot of experience. Now, he went through the ups and downs in coaching, too. He’s a point guard, too. You got two guards in Luka [Doncic] and in Kyrie [Irving] that J-Kidd can really help. I think this year, hopefully is a good year.”

Your teams were good defensively and the Mavericks played in a similar fashion in their last Western Conference finals run. What’s the key to try and be a good defensive team?

Barea: “It’s got to be a team defense, like that’s what we had in ‘11. It was a team defense. And you got to mix it up. I was a fan of mixing it up, playing some zone, man-to-man, switching everything. Pressing a little bit. Your best defenders gotta step up to the challenge and guard the best players. So I’m a big fan of a little bit of everything. The Mavericks are not the best defensive team, but they’re gonna have to find ways and what works best for them, and apply it this year.”

You were Doncic’s veteran when he was coming into the league. What do you make of the narrative that he needs to sacrifice more for the good of the team?

Barea: “When people ask me about Dirk, he’s the best team guy you’re ever gonna see in your life. He could score five points, played awful and we win the game and he’s the happiest guy in the locker room. He could score 50 and we lose the game, and he’s miserable. So Dirk knew if J.J. plays good, if [Peja Stojakovic] plays good, if J-Kidd plays good, if Tyson plays good, we’re gonna win.

“That’s something Luka is going to have to keep learning and keep getting better at. He’s got to make the guys next to him play really good for them to be able to make it far and win a championship. That’s something I think in the next couple of years he’s got to get better at.”

Do you think the Mavericks are going to have a bounce-back year?

Barea: “I think so. From the top, Mark [Cuban] is a competitor. I know J-Kidd is a competitor, Luka competes. They’re going to try to win every year, you know. They for sure did some moves to get ready and they’re gonna go from day one. I think they’re gonna go at it from day one and see what we could do. I think this year for sure is a bounce-back year.”

Listen to the full interview here.

Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.