Peja Stojakovic is taking his talents to Dallas. I’m sorry, but I just love saying that, and I don’t think it’ll ever get old. Stojakovic has been let go by the Raptors after playing just two games with the team. He last saw action on the 26th of Novemeber and has been out ever since with a swollen left knee. He’s already verbally committed to sign with the Dallas Mavericks as soon as he clears waivers this Monday. Via ESPN.com…
“The Dallas Mavericks continue to plan for the addition of former All-Star sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic early next week. But the trade to create a roster spot for Stojakovic, according to sources close to the talks, remains on hold.
Although the Mavericks and Raptors continue to express confidence that the trade sending little-used center Alexis Ajinca to Toronto will ultimately be approved, league officials spent Friday examining the deal for salary-cap compliance after postponing a trade call originally scheduled for Thursday night to ratify the deal.
The trade was regarded as such a formality Thursday that Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, as captured by TNT’s cameras, went so far as to sit Ajinca down to tell him he had to go back to the team’s hotel in Chicago after the third-year center had already arrived at the United Center in advance of Dallas’ eventual loss to the Bulls.Sources insisted Friday that the Mavericks remain on course to sign Stojakovic as soon as he clears waivers following the 33-year-old’s buyout Thursday from the Raptors. He’ll become a free agent Monday — which is the NBA’s first business day after Stojakovic clears waivers this weekend — and has already given a verbal commitment to the Mavericks that he intends to sign with them.”
Read more here.
As you probably know, the 33-year-old former All-Star is a shell of the guy who averaged 24 points per game for the Kings back in ’04. He’s had a lot of back problems that have limited him to an average of 57 games a year from 05/06 to 09/10. He’s been sidelined with knee soreness this season, but I’m sure Toronto wasn’t rushing him back (they have young guys who need minutes, a guy like Peja was never in the plans), so his knee may not be a serious issue. So yeah, the guy’s lost a step or two, but make no mistake, he can still light it up from downtown. Peja boasts a 40 percent career mark from beyond the arc, and he’s connected on 15 of his 31 attempts this season. I’m not sure what type of money he’ll be getting from Dallas, but I’m assuming it won’t be any astronomical figure, making this a low-risk move that could end up paying off. Jason Terry and Jason Kidd have been firing bricks from downtown all season long… if Stojakovic can stay on the court, I’m confident that he’ll be able to knock ‘em down. Maybe some of his prowess will even rub off on the two Masons..er..Jasons.
