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Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban Recalls Conversation With J.J. Barea About Parting Ways

By Mike Dyce

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Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recalls the emotional conversation with J.J. Barea when they parted ways after winning the 2011 NBA Championship.

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The Dallas Mavericks improbably won the 2011 NBA championship, defeating the newly constructed Miami Heat with LeBron James in the process. The members of that team became favorites amongst the Mavericks fans, but many of them left the team after winning the title.

That was partly due to a new collective-bargaining agreement that changed the structure of the luxury tax which changed the way the Mavericks would have to do business. One of the casualties of the changing of philosophies was guard J.J. Barea.

He went on to join the Minnesota Timberwolves, but was waived and has since re-signed with the Mavericks. Owner Mark Cuban recalled the conversation he had when he informed Barea that they’d be parting ways to the Dallas Morning News.

“One of the hardest conversations I had was explaining to J.J. what we were doing,” Cuban said. “It wasn’t easy. It was down on the practice court. It was emotional, so I’m glad he’s back.”

Cuban elaborated on why it was emotional for him.

“Because of what J.J. meant,” Cuban said. “As much as sometimes people say it’s just a business, the best businesses are personal _ very personal. You want personal connections because I think it brings the best out of people. So that made it tough.”

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