JJ Barea Offered a Contract By a Team in China


The Dallas Mavericks’ postseason hero is being recruited by the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, who have extended him a contract offer. Per ESPN: “The Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China this week added J.J. Barea to their wish list and have extended a contract offer to the Dallas Mavericks free-agent guard, according to sources close to the situation. Xinjiang was also chasing Atlanta Hawks free agent Jamal Crawford to fill the void created by a long-term wrist injury suffered by former Sacramento Kings first-round pick Quincy Douby. Crawford has since said in multiple interviews that he’s considering the offer, but Xinjiang wants to move fast after losing Douby — one of the best players in the Chinese Basketball Association last season — just days away from the Nov. 19 season opener. Barea, though, has expressed interest in playing in Spain and, according to sources close to Puerto Rico national team star, continues to explore his options there as well. Xinjiang has what’s regarded as the biggest budget in China even after signing Denver Nuggets unrestricted free agent Kenyon Martin earlier in the summer. And either Barea or Crawford would fill the Flying Tigers’ need for a speedy scoring guard who can create his own shot. Yet the challenge for Xinjiang in landing either player — even amid the growing uncertainty Stateside about how long the lockout will last — is the new league rule in China that forbids teams there from offering in-season outs to newly signed players who want to return to the NBA as soon as the lockout ends. The rule means Barea or Crawford, if either chooses to sign with Xinjiang, would be obligated to stay there through the end of the Chinese season in March. Nuggets free agents Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith and Phoenix Suns free-agent guard Aaron Brooks, along with Martin, are the most prominent NBA players to sign in China during the lockout.”