Peja Stojakovic will likely sign with the Dallas Mavericks after clearing waivers next week, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. On Thursday, the Toronto Raptors reached a buy-out agreement with the veteran wing to allow Stojakovic to move to a playoff team in the final year of a $62 million contract he signed with the New Orleans Hornets in 2006.
Peja Stojakovic Likely To Sign With Mavericks After Clearing Waivers, According To Report
Berger also reports that, in order to clear a roster spot for Stojakovic, the Mavericks are working on a deal with the Raptors to send Alexis Ajinca to Toronto. In effect, it works as a straight-up trade without meeting the NBA’s core trade rules, which state that trades between teams above the salary cap must have near-matching salaries changing places. Stojakovic had been on the books for $15 million this season, and Ajinca makes just $1.5 million. The Mavericks are allowed to pay the Raptors up to $3 million to take Ajinca, and it is the norm that Stojakovic’s salary with Dallas would be deducted from Toronto’s obligations to Peja.
A season-ending injury to Caron Butler has put the Mavericks’ wing depth in dire straits. Shawn Marion had filled in there, but coach Rick Carlisle prefers him as a back-up for both forward spots due to the team’s lack of faith in Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi at power forward. The Mavericks recently picked up out-of-work Sasha Pavlovic on a 10-day contract (which was renewed this week); Pavlovic started Wednesday night against the L.A. Lakers.
Stojakovic, assuming health, would replace Pavlovic in the rotation, providing some shooting touch in a starting line-up that needs a spark.
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