NBA News Roundup, Tuesday, August 20th: Carmelo Anthony to the Detroit Pistons ruled out, Lakers urged to stay away from Dwight Howard and more

#2 J.J. Barea signs one-year extension with the Mavericks; eyes return from injury

J.J. Barea is looking forward to returning for the Dallas Mavericks

J.J. Barea ruptured his right Achilles tendon back in January and the point guard was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the season. The seriousness of the injury cast doubt on Barea's future in the league, although ESPN's Tim MacMahon is reporting that the veteran has signed a new one-year deal with the Mavs, and is set to return in the coming weeks.

J.J. Barea signed a one-year veteran’s minimum deal with the Mavs today, he said. Barea, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, expects to be cleared to fully participate in training camp.

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) August 19, 2019

Despite playing an important role for the Mavericks over the past five seasons, Barea faces intense competition ahead of the new campaign. The Mavericks added Seth Curry and Delon Wright in free agency, while Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson are expected to start in the backcourt. This leaves Barea facing an uphill battle, although the 35-year-old will be confident of breaking into the rotation after successfully coming back from a serious injury.