J.J. Barea said he hopes to return to the Mavericks next season, ESPN reports.

Barea said he hopes to return to the Mavericks next season, ESPN reports.

Analysis:

A free agent his offseason, Barea expressed his interest in returning to Dallas, where he's played six of his nine NBA seasons. The other three were spent in Minnesota, where Barea signed as a free agent after helping the Mavs to the 2011 title. He returned to Dallas this season on a veteran's minimum deal after being bought out by the Wolves. While Barea intimated that he may not be willing to accept another minimum contract, he also noted that he doesn't plan to demand a large deal. According to a source, Barea, 30, is expected to seek a two- or three-year deal that would pay him around $3 million annually. Even with Devin Harris and Raymond Felton ($3.95 million player option) under contract next season, the Mavs will likely attempt to re-sign Barea, who is one of the most dependable backup point guards in the league. His assist to turnover ratio in 2014-15 ranked third in the NBA behind only Chris Paul and Ty Lawson.