Towards the end of last season, the Denver Nuggets made a shocking move by parting with longtime head coach Michael Malone. Not long after removing the interim title from David Adelman, the franchise has begun rounding out his staff of assistants.
Following a crazy first night of free agency, the Nuggets announced a non-player addition to the team. Former Dallas Mavericks fan favorite JJ Barea is set to join Adelman's staff as an assistant next season. This career transition comes roughly six years after his playing career came to an end.
JJ Barea, a 2011 NBA champion with the Dallas Mavericks, has agreed to join the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach under David Adelman, sources tell ESPN. Barea will be on the front of the Nuggets coaching bench.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
Barea spent 14 years in the NBA, the majority of them being with the Dallas Mavericks. He served a key role off the bench in 2011 when Dirk Nowitzki helped lead the franchise to a championship. Fresh off winning a title, Barea had a brief stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves before returning to the Mavs in 2015.
Despite only standing at 5-foot-10, Barea managed to hang around into his mid-30s. He decided to hang it up in 2019 after appearing in 29 games at the age of 35. Now, the longtime point guard will attempt to help Adelman navigate his first full season as an NBA head coach.
Barea stumbles into a good situation in his first stint as a coach in the league. He'll get to work with one of the game's greatest talents in Nikola, and a near All-Star-level player in Jamal Murray. As a former champion with loads of experience in the league, Barea could end up being someone Adelman heavily relies on next season and beyond.
Upon landing this job, Barea is now the second member of the Mavs' title team to move on to coaching in the NBA in some capacity. The other being Jason Kidd, who remains as head coach in Dallas despite being tied to the New York Knicks in rumors.