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Peja Stojakovic News & Rumors

Kings should retire Stojakovic's jersey
"For most of his 13 seasons in the NBA – the first 7 1/2 in Sacramento – Peja Stojakovic won a constant battle of mind over body. But Monday morning, Stojakovic told ESPN that his aching body had finally won the war. With chronic pain in his back and neck, not to mention a wobbly left knee and that iron rod in his right leg, Stojakovic said he will retire at 34. He goes out as an NBA champion with the Dallas Mavericks. He goes out fourth on the NBA's all-time list of three-pointers made with 1,760 – and first in Kings history at 1,070."
Peja Stojakovic retires after 13-season career; Dirk Nowitzki: 'One of the best teammates ever'
"Instead of finding a new team to try and win another ring with, Peja Stojakovic is going to go out on top. Stojavoic, 34, one of the NBA's all-time great shooters, is calling it a career after 13 seasons. "When you start competing against your body more than you're preparing for the actual game, it's a wakeup call," Stojakovic said."
Peja Stojakovic to retire after 13 years
"After cementing his reputation as one of the finest shooters in NBA history by helping the Dallas Mavericks win their first championship, Peja Stojakovic has decided to retire. The three-time All-Star told ESPN.com on Monday that the physical toll involved in playing after a string of back and neck troubles, at age 34, convinced him that "it's time" to step away from the game despite interest from a handful of contenders in signing the sharpshooter away from the Mavericks. "When you start competing against your body more than you're preparing for the actual game," Stojakovic said, "it's a wakeup call.""
Carlisle: Peja saved our season; Caron Butler was 'a whisker away' from playing in Finals
"Mark Cuban used his Twitter account to announce the signing of Peja Stojakovic in late January. The Mavericks owner wrote: "Peja is now a Mav! Time to let him drop some of those 3s on the bad guys." The message came days after the Toronto Raptors bought out Stojakovic's $15 million expiring contract. The 34-year-old was allowed to sign with any team and he chose the Mavs. It obviously turned out to be the right decision. Even though Stojakovic scored only two points in the Finals series against the Miami Heat, he was a tremendous contributor in the three previous rounds of the playoffs. Stojakovic averaged 9.5 points per game in the first round, 12.5 in the series sweep of the Los Angeles"
Mavs free agents in Donnie Nelson's plan
"Just because the Dallas Mavericks are focused on the NBA Finals doesn't mean planning for next season and beyond isn't underway. Six players on the current roster will be free agents after the season, including starters Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson and key reserve J.J. Barea. "We've been through this before," general manager Donnie Nelson said. "You just plan. You know it's part of the deal when it comes. You just deal with it." Indications from sources are the Mavericks want to at least bring back Chandler, Barea and injured forward Caron Butler. Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are the other two free agents."
Former New Orleans Hornets Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler find success
"Since last November, ex-New Orleans Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic has endured getting benched, being traded and then waived after having his contract bought out. In what appeared to be a tumultuous season for the 13-year veteran has now turned into nothing less than remarkable. He has landed back on his feet with the Dallas Mavericks. Stojakovic is just three wins from winning his first NBA championship after the Mavericks' 95-93 victory against the Miami Heat, in which they trailed by 15 points with slightly more than six minutes remaining. Game 3 is Sunday night at the American Airlines Center. Stojakovic had a diminished role before the Hornets traded him in November to the Toronto"
Mavericks forward Brian Cardinal makes first NBA Finals appearance; and that's not good news for Peja Stojakovic
"Seldom-used Mavericks bench player Brian Cardinal made his first appearance of the NBA Finals in the third quarter of Game 2, signaling that Dallas clearly can't stick with 3-point specialist Peja Stojakovic much longer when he's missing shots and a liability on defense. Stojakovic played about five minutes in the first half and never got off a shot. He had one turnover, and the Mavericks were minus-7 with him on the floor. In Game 1, Stojakovic was 0-for-3 from 3-point range (with three fouls) in 14:43 of playing time. The physical Cardinal entered the game with 4:23 left in the third quarter and just seconds later made his presence known, colliding with LeBron James as he made his way to"
Stojakovic is sight for sore Mavericks eyes
"This is what the Dallas Mavericks missed when small forward Peja Stojakovic was sidelined for six games with a stiff neck. In his first game back from the injury Sunday against the Golden State Warriors, Stojakovic showed off his superior shooting arm by tallying 17 points in only 19 minutes. The 13-year veteran was 6-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc. From the Mavs' standpoint, it was a wonderful sight to see. "For him to be able to come back with no practice under his belt and shoot the way he does makes you understand why he's one of the all-time great three-point shooters,'' center Tyson Chandler said. "And the way he's spacing the floor is great"
Injured neck forces Peja Stojakovic to skip road trip to Portland, Golden State
"The Mavericks again will be without Peja Stojakovic, who stayed behind as the Mavericks departed for Portland this afternoon. Stojakovic has missed three games with a stiff neck and the Mavericks have no timetable for his return. In his absence, Shawn Marion has done a superb job starting at small forward. It'll either be Marion or Dirk Nowitzki trying to slow down Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who has had a fabulous season and should have been an all-star, at least in the eyes of one of the people who was responsible for picking reserves on the Western Conference All-Star team."
Peja Stojakovic gives the Mavericks more flexibility
"One thing the addition of Peja Stojakovic has given the Dallas Mavericks is more flexibility. As the starting small forward, the 6-10 Stojakovic represents one more tall body the Mavs can plug into their rotation. But even before Stojakovic arrived last month via free agency, coach Rick Carlisle said: "We have a flexible team. We have an infinite number of combinations we can use. We haven't used [Shawn] Marion at [center] but two or three times this year in small stints. We did it a lot last year.'' Still, it's no question that if Stojakovic is ringing up numbers like he did when he scored 22 points last Saturday against Houston, the Mavs are going to be a very tough out once the playoffs"
Stojakovic finds shooting range in Mavericks victory
"Dirk Nowitzki was headed in one direction in the Dallas Mavericks' locker room after Saturday's 106-102 triumph over Houston and shouted what every other player probably wanted to shout. "There's a Peja Stojakovic sighting," Nowitzki said. After scoring just 16 points in his first three games with the Mavs, Stojakovic erupted for 22 points in 28 the Rockets. More importantly, the 6-foot-10 small forward appeared to be the dangerous shooter the Mavs were hoping he would be when they signed him to a free-agent contract last month. "He's arrived in Dallas," Nowitzki said. "The easy baskets opened his shots up and he was making them all over the place." Stojakovic hit 8 of 12 shots and was 4"
Peja pays off: Stojakovic comes up big in Mavericks' win
"It's no coincidence that the spark returned to Dirk Nowitzki's game about the same time Peja Stojakovic cranked up his. "We got a Peja sighting," Nowitzki said after the Mavericks ran up a huge lead, then hung on for a 106-102 victory over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. "He arrived in Dallas, so that was fun to see." After some shaky shooting in his first three games, Stojakovic pumped in a season-high 22 points and hit four of his six 3-pointers. The Rockets defense had no choice but to adjust and that cleared the way for Nowitzki to match Stojakovic's 22 points. The Mavericks had a sizzling night from the field and played solidly on the defensive end to open up a 23-point lead"
Homecoming of sorts for Mavs' Stojakovic
"Peja Stojakovic is going home today probably to a hero's welcome. From 1998-2004, Stojakovic was one of the most popular and more efficient players for the Sacramento Kings and helped put that franchise on the NBA map. The Kings were an elite club during Stojakovic's tenure, and were always butting heads with the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs for supremacy in the Western Conference. So when Stojakovic's newest team - the Mavericks - face the Kings at 9 tonight in Sacramento, Mavs guard Jason Terry can already feel the love that's going to be in the air in Arco Arena for Stojakovic. "He's going to get a standing ovation, no question,'' Terry said. "What he meant"
Peja Stojakovic's shot a bit off in Mavericks debut
"The first chapter of Peja Stojakovic's stay in Dallas featured only one 3-point basket in six attempts. But he played almost 20 minutes in his first NBA floor time in more than two months and is eager to take another crack at it on the Mavs' upcoming road trip. Stojakovic was 3-for-9 from the floor in the Mavs' 99-96 victory over Cleveland. His playing time came in the first three quarters and included eight points and five rebounds. The 33-year-old veteran said the shots he missed were too good."
Peja Stojakovic to make Mavericks' debut
"Peja Stojakovic is expected to make his Mavericks debut Monday night, but it's unlikely his unveiling will look anything like his eventual role. Most everybody expects Stojakovic to be the starter at small forward once he gets acclimated to the Mavericks' system. For now, it's expected that he will be coming off the bench since he hasn't played since late November and is recovering from a left knee problem. Stojakovic's entry into the rotation is the first step of a transition for the Mavericks, who have won eight games in a row. When Roddy Beaubois is ready to play for the first time this season, the process will continue."
Nowitzki says Stojakovic is the better shooter
"Dirk Nowitzki has sent his share of defenders home with an upset stomach because of their inability to stop him from making one jumper after another. But in Nowitzki's eyes, no shooter makes defenders sicker than teammate Peja Stojakovic. "I watched him in 3-point contests a bunch of years,'' said Nowitzki, "and the rounds he put up....'' Stojakovic won the 3-point shooting contest in back-to-back years during All-Star Weekend in 2002 and '03. He is one of just six players to win this contest in consecutive seasons."
Addition of Stojakovic gives Mavericks formidable front wall
"Mark Cuban had to resist the temptation to get too far ahead of himself. The Dallas Mavericks owner glanced at his latest prized possession – Peja Stojakovic – and figured his team will be difficult to handle in the foreseeable future. Of course all of it hinges on the health of Stojakovic. "You've got to guard [Stojakovic], obviously,'' Cuban said. "Hopefully, he'll get a lot of wide open shots.'' Cuban believes with the 6-10 Stojakovic on the front line with the 7-foot Dirk Nowitzki and the 7-1 Tyson Chandler, the Mavs could have a formidable front wall that could rival any in the NBA."
Stojakovic finally signs with Dallas Mavericks
"For posterity's sake, Peja Stojakovic was once one of the most feared perimeter shooters in the history of the NBA. During a Nov. 14, 2006 game against Charlotte while he was playing for the New Orleans Hornets, Stojakovic became the first player in NBA history to open the game by scoring his team's first 20 points. The Dallas Mavericks are hoping the 6-10 small forward can recapture some of that amazing magic after they signed the former Toronto Raptor to a contract Monday for the remainder of the season. Mavs center Tyson Chandler was a teammate of Stojakovic when he defied all odds and torched the Bobcats. "That was unbelievable,'' Chandler said after Monday's practice. "It was one of"
Mavericks trade Alexis Ajinca, sign Peja Stojakovic
"As the NBA signed off on the trade of Alexis Ajinca to Toronto, clearing the way for the Mavericks to quickly sign Peja Stojakovic, president Donnie Nelson had an easy time explaining what the 6-10 gunner will bring to the Mavericks. "He has to be guarded," he said, "when he enters the building." That will open things up for everybody else, theoretically. And that's why the Mavericks have been pursuing Stojakovic for weeks since Caron Butler was lost. The signing became official Monday afternoon after attorneys for the league went through their regular review of situations like this, which involve more than one transaction between two teams. That, as much as protests of other Western"
Peja is in Dallas; only question is when he'll be signed
"Peja Stojakovic landed in Dallas on Sunday afternoon and the Mavericks are expected to sign him today after he clears waivers, multiple sources said. Before that can happen, the NBA must sign off on the trade of Alexis Ajinca to Toronto. Despite some teams asking for the league to check out possible improprieties between the Mavericks and Raptors on the trade, the deal is expected to be approved today. If it isn't, the Mavericks may just waive a player – probably Sasha Pavlovic or Ajinca – to make room for Stojakovic."
Mark Cuban: Trade and Peja signing will go through
"Mark Cuban had a crowd of reporters around him after the game as he talked about Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and the state of the Mavericks. But most important was what he had to say about the transactions that are expected to be complete on Monday. The Mavericks plan on signing Peja Stojakovic as soon as he clears waivers on Monday. Before that, they will trade Alexis Ajinca to Toronto to clear a roster spot for Stojakovic. The league has been analyzing the Ajinca move to make sure it is compliance with league rules. Cuban has no doubt that it is."
If healthy, sharp-shooting Peja Stojakovic in line for big minutes
"The Mavericks' offense needs help. For all of coach Rick Carlisle's harping on the other end of the court - and it's true that the Mavericks can't be great without toughness on defense - it's clear that their inability to score points has dragged them down during the last three weeks. So how much will Peja Stojakovic help matter? Much depends on the health of the sharpshooting veteran, who is on track to sign with the Mavericks on Monday. The league is looking into the potential transactions - which include the trading of Alexis Ajinca - but it is expected to approve the moves. If Stojakovic's knee s cooperate, he will be in line to collect a large portion of minutes at small forward and"
Stojakovic likely in, Ajinca likely out for Mavericks
"The Maverick are waiting for details to be ironed out, but appear to be on the verge of acquiring veteran sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, who would join the team for the rest of the season, a pair of sources said. The 33-year-old Croatian, who had his best years with Sacramento and New Orleans before being traded earlier this season to Toronto, had his contract bought out by the Raptors on Thursday. After he clears waivers, a formality given his $15-million salary, the Mavericks will sign him. To make room for Stojakovic, the Mavericks are working on a separate deal with Toronto that would trade 7-foot center Alexis Ajinca to the Raptors, along with a future draft pick and cash,"
Raptors part ways with Stojakovic
"The Peja Stojakovic Raptors era was all of two games. Unless you count the 26 consecutive ones he sat out with a swollen left knee. Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo brought it to an end yesterday when he bought out Stojakovic's $15-million US contract for a "nominal amount" and put the 12-year veteran on waivers. The big value on his contract means Stojakovic will not be claimed and then will be free to sign wherever he wants. ESPN.com was reporting last night the Dallas Mavericks had a deal in principle to bring Stojakovic to the Lone Star State. Stojakovic was acquired as part of the Jerryd Bayless trade that sent Jarrett Jack, David Andersen and Marcus Banks weighty"
Mavs said to be Stojakovic's 1st choice; team set to trade Ajinca
"Jason Terry has been on the wrong end of some big-time performances by Peja Stojakovic, so when news circulated that the Mavericks seem likely to acquire the veteran shooter, Terry smiled. "He'll be very welcomed," Terry said. "He can shoot. And I mean big shots, real big shots." The Mavericks know they can't replace Caron Butler , who has been lost to a knee injury. But they are on the brink of assembling an array of candidates to help fill the void. Two sources said that they are believed to be the first choice of Stojakovic, the veteran shooter who was waived Thursday by the Toronto Raptors and will be a free agent when he clears waivers Monday. Several teams are interested in"
Sources: Raptors, Peja Stojakovic close to buyout
"The Toronto Raptors and Peja Stojakovic are close to completing a buyout that will put the former All-Star sharpshooter on the open market, according to sources close to the situation. The deal is expected to be completed later Thursday, sources said. The Raptors publicly acknowledged almost immediately after acquiring Stojakovic from New Orleans that a buyout would considered if no follow-up trade could be swung. But the Raptors, reluctant take on long-term salary, were unlikely to find a workable trade, with Stojakovic earning $15 million in the final season of an original five-year deal he signed with the Hornets in the summer of 2006. Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that"
Injured Raptors itching to return
"If you've ever wondered about the life of injured professional basketball players, start with Reggie Evans's Twitter account – the one packed with exciting updates and helpful photos documenting his latest trip to the grocery store. Then observe Peja Stojakovic during a Toronto Raptors' timeout, his blazer pressed and glazed eyes locked somewhere in the middle distance. Or ask Andrea Bargnani what it's like to watch a game instead of play in one. "It's boring. It's like, the worst thing," said the seven-foot centre, who's watched six of the Raptors' previous eight games because of a calf injury. Injuries are part of professional sports, but Toronto has been stuck with more than its fair"
Injuries mount as Raptors prepare for Celtics
"The Raptors stumbled home from the road, limping all the way, with creaky backs and bad ankles and sore feet as they landed in Toronto in the wee hours of 2011. An arrival in Lourdes, it wasn't. Making a brief stop at home between a pair of three-game road trips, they got precious little good news on the injury front heading into Sunday's game against the Boston Celtics. Andrea Bargnani, who missed the holiday week trip to Memphis, Dallas and Houston, has been ruled out for the Celtics game, and Jerryd Bayless, who sprained his ankle in Dallas and lasted only eight minutes Friday night in Houston, is doubtful for the Celtics."
Peja takes big step forward with Raptors
"Peja Stojakovic is likely to be asked now to do something he's never had to do in his 13 years in the NBA and it won't be easy. But it also won't faze the veteran, who will have to spend at least a little bit of time out of position as the Raptors deal with the injury-induced loss of big man Reggie Evans Stojakovic, one of the most accomplished long-range shooting small forwards of his generation, is now going to spend at least some time as a power forward."
Stojakovic's a natural shooter
"In an era where athletes have become glorified hoopsters with marginal basketball savvy, where highlight reel dunks are fashionable, Peja Stojakovic and Ray Allen have almost become dinosaurs. With so few players being able to shoot as well as Stojakovic and Allen, both can play well into their 40s if they feel so inclined. The art of the jump shot has become a lost art in today's athletic, drive to the rim game. Today's players aren't so much interested in running guys off screens than they are in posterizing a foe. When all is said and done, both Stojakovic and Allen will go down as two of the greatest shooters the game of basketball has ever seen, two players who were drafted in the"
Peja just going with the flow
"The strange and complex economics of the NBA finds legendary shooter Peja Stojakovic wearing Raptors white. For how long? Even he doesn't have a clue. It may be a month. It may be until the February trade deadline. It may be all season. "I don't know," Stojakovic said, shrugging his broad shoulders and smiling. "I really don't." He is living a Toronto hotel right now, with no plans to go searching for any place more permanent. His wife is in New Orleans. His kids are in school in Louisiana, and without any kind of regret, he is, in fact, happy to be here. And in the unhappy-to-be-here NBA, where Toronto has been characterized as cable-challenged, educationally inept and strip-club"
Stojakovic feels at 'home'
"Peja Stojakovic has no idea how long he'll be in Toronto, or what his role with one of the NBA's youngest squads will be, but he's happy to be here. The 33-year-old dual Serbian/Greek citizen called his arrival in Toronto, a city he said feels much more like "home" and an "international environment" than his previous stops in Sacramento, Indiana and New Orleans, a "new opportunity (with) new challenges." Though the Raptors are the worst long-distance shooting team in the league (29.6%) and Stojakovic now becomes - with apologies to Dell Curry and Jason Kapono - the greatest shooter ever employed by the club (40% career mark from three, 89.4% from the line, 17.3 points per game) he is well"
Feels like coming home for new Raptor Stojakovic
"It's an entire pain and distraction to be told one day that all of a sudden you work somewhere else, told to move to a new city to meet new co-workers and there are all kinds of things to deal with in a hurry. A wife, a couple of kids, housing and the like and Peja Stojakovic, the married father of two and the newest Raptor, is dealing with it as best he can. But the 33-year-old has been around long enough and knows how privileged his life really is so he's not about to whine and complain about having change thrown at him with little regard for personal circumstances."
New Raptors just trying to fit in
"Jay Triano has a new point guard to deal with, and while the Raptors don't run a lot of intricate offensive sets there are still some things to learn. The head coach wasted no time imparting them to Jerryd Bayless, who should make his Raptor debut Wednesday night against Philadelphia with only one full practice under his belt. "His physical was done at 5 o'clock (Monday). At 5:05 he had a playbook, and then we ran through a bunch of the plays (Tuesday)," Triano said. "So he saw it on paper overnight, he ran through it and we'll go through our video clips with him, some of the things that we've been able to capture so far this year."
Stojakovic might be mentor to Raptors' kids
"There should be no concerns, no reason for pessimism and no basis for cynicism that Peja Stojakovic threatens to become the next Alonzo Mourning. On the morning after a deal that wasn't made official until late Saturday, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo made his first public comments, discussing a trade that clearly was geared to the future and spoke on the status of Stojakovic. Long past his prime, Stojakovic had to waive a portion of a trade kicker for Colangelo to complete a five-player deal with New Orleans. "It was significant,'' Colangelo said of the monetary inducement. "Enough that it wasn't a bad day for him." At 33, Stojakovic hardly fits in with what Colangelo is attempting to do with"
Five player swap between Hornets and Raptors now official
"The New Orleans Hornets' acquisition of backup point guard Jarrett Jack, center David Andersen and guard Marcus Banks from the Toronto Raptors has been made official, the team said Saturday night. The Hornets have shipped forward Peja Stojakovic and guard Jerryd Bayless to the Raptors. But since Bayless was just obtained by New Orleans in a trade five days before the start of the regular season, he could not be involved in a multi-player deal until Dec. 23. Therefore, the teams worked to make the trade of Bayless a separate swap, subject to league OK. Neither Stojakovic nor Bayless was at the Hornets' practice at the Alario Center on Saturday morning. Jack, Andersen and Banks are expected"
Raptors, Hornets working on Peja trade
"The New Orleans Hornets and Toronto Raptors are in serious discussions on a five-player trade that would send Peja Stojakovic and Jerryd Bayless to the Raptors for Jarrett Jack, David Andersen and Marcus Banks, a source told ESPN.com Saturday. The deal was close to being completed Friday night, but was held up over the amount of cash the Hornets would send to the Raptors in the trade. Still, the holdup was not believed to be insurmountable, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Stojakovic is in the final year of his contract, earning $14.25 million, and has fallen out of the rotation in New Orleans, averaging just 7.5 points in less"
Peja Stojakovic, Dirk Nowitzki roll back the clock from long range
"It was like a flashback for the face of the franchise. Dirk Nowitzki was on the floor, and there across from him was Peja Stojakovic, trying to prove that an old nemesis never goes away. He just comes back in another life form, or at least another uniform. So Nowitzki did what great players do. He went back in time himself. Stojakovic rewound the clock eight or nine years and looked like he was back with Sacramento flinging in 3-pointers that broke the Mavericks' collective back. Or at least he went back to 2008, when he and Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler dug the Mavericks' playoff grave."
Stojakovic has clutch performance off the bench
"Hornets Coach Monty Williams, intimately acquainted with the Portland Trail Blazers' personnel, had one primary concern about the team for which he was an assitant coach for five years before coming to New Orleans this summer: depth. "They have a lot of guys who can play," Williams said. "A lot of teams have eight for sure guys they can play, but they have 11 guys that can play on that active roster. And they know how to make adjustments in-game. "And they're well-coached. And they've been together for a while. That's something you can't account for, the experience they have together. You can see the way they play now. They know where they're supposed to be." But Williams, always"
Veteran Peja Stojakovic says he's ready to contribute when Hornets need him
"He's on the periphery at present, on the outside looking in at the Hornets' historic 6-0 start. Since last Wednesday night when New Orleans beat the Houston Rockets, veteran forward Peja Stojakovic has been on the inactive list, three games with no opportunity to contribute as the Hornets sprinted out to an unbeaten start and became relevant once again in the NBA. They are the surprise team in the league at the outset, fueled by a young, athletic, defensive-minded group that has left a one-dimensional offensive threat a spectator, earning about $183,000 per game for cheering on his teammates. Stojakovic, at one time one of the most feared scorers in the NBA, finds his career at a"
Marcus Thornton, Peja Stojakovic as reserves looks promising for New Orleans Hornets
"It might be a gamble, but the decision could pay off hugely for the New Orleans Hornets if second-year guard Marcus Thornton can thrive coming off the bench along side Peja Stojakovic. New Orleans' reserves, considered by many the weak link on this transformed roster, could be bolstered considerably by having two players who can score points in bunches coming into games this season off the bench. In Saturday night's exhibition opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, it gave the Hornets their first opportunity to see what kind of punch Thornton – who last season set a team record for points in a quarter when he scored 23 in a game at Cleveland – and Stojakovic, one of the most feared shooters"
Peja: Health status will determine NBA future
"Over his four seasons with the Hornets, Peja Stojakovic has only experienced one campaign that was virtually injury-free. Not coincidentally, it was 2007-08, when the 6-foot-10 small forward appeared in 77 games and New Orleans set a franchise record with 56 wins. With Stojakovic shooting a career-high 44.1 percent from three-point range, the Hornets also earned their first division title. Stojakovic's games-missed tally during his other three years with the club: 69, 21 and 20. The native of Serbia, who turned 33 in June and is in the final year of a five-year contract, now says that his health will determine how much longer he decides to play in the NBA. Stojakovic actually began playing"
Stojakovic in a precarious spot in deal's last year
"Although Hornets veteran small forward Peja Stojakovic is entering a season of uncertainty, he said he's prepared to handle anything that may arise. Stojakovic draws the highest salary on the team, but is in the final year of a five-year, $64 million deal that will pay him $15.3 million this season. His expiring contract could prove to be quite a bargaining chip for General Manager Dell Demps, should he decided to further tinker with the roster before the February trade deadline. If he remains with the team, Stojakovic might have to accept a diminished role because of the acquisition of Trevor Ariza, who's the likely starter at shooting guard or Stojakovic's small forward spot. After"
New Orleans Hornets' Peja Stojakovic frustrated by abdominal strain
"In the past, it has been the back that has been the most concern for New Orleans Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic. Lately, it has been the front. More specifically, Stojakovic's lower abdominal area, which he says he strained some time after the Hornets returned from the mid-February All-Star break. The injury has kept him sidelined for the past 12 games. Because the pain became so acute late in New Orleans' March 8 win over the Golden State Warriors, he had to be pulled from the lineup. For a player whose NBA career lately has been dogged by lower-back pain and 2006 surgery to removed a disc fragment in his back that cost him the final 69 games of that season, Stojakovic had been cruising"
New Orleans Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic remains sidelined with lower abdominal strain
"While New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul said his knee feels better after playing two games, starting small forward Peja Stojakovic continues to be sidelined with a lower abdominal strain. Stojakovic said after Thursday's practice he has not been medically cleared to begin running yet. Coach Jeff Bower said he doesn't know when Stojakovic will return with only 10 games remaining in the regular season. "He continues to get his treatment, but he has not significantly improved,'' Bower said. "There is no further timeline.''"
New Orleans Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic will dedicate a court to St. Andrew's School
"New Orleans Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic is set to dedicate the fourth "Courts For Kids" basketball/volleyball court at the St. Andrew's Episcopal School in New Orleans. The event will take place at 1116 Short Street on Sunday at 2 p.m. This is the fourth "Courts for Kids" project to be completed from the proceeds of the third annual Peja's Charitabowl held in December 2009. The mission of the Peja's "Courts for Kids" project is to install new basketball courts, refurbish existing ones and distribute basketball equipment in economically disadvantaged areas around the world. "This basketball court is the result of a team effort," Stojakovic said. "Without the individuals and businesses"
Hornets' Peja Stojakovic will be sidelined for two weeks with lower abdominal strain
"New Orleans Hornets starting small forward Peja Stojakovic will be sidelined for a minimum two weeks with a lower abdominal strain, the team announced Wednesday morning. Stojakovic suffered the injury in the third quarter of Monday's 135-131 victory against the Golden State Warriors. The Hornets play at Oklahoma City tonight and Julian Wright will start in place of Stojakovic, team spokesman Dennis Rogers said. Stojakovic will miss the next nine games and could possibly return for the March 24 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the New Orleans Arena."
Peja Stojakovic suffers strained right groin in win
"Starting small forward Peja Stojakovic suffered a strained right groin in the third quarter, and Hornets officials said he will not return. Stojakovic made 6-of-14 shots for 16 points in 27 minutes."
Paul, Stojakovic give Hornets needed lift
"After losing consecutive road games that led to forward David West questioning his teammates' commitment to play as a unit, the Hornets were back in rhythm Friday night with Peja Stojakovic and Chris Paul returning to the starting lineup against Minnesota. Although it took until the third quarter for the Hornets to take control after trailing by 11 points, they came away with a 98-89 victory at the New Orleans Arena. Stojakovic had missed the previous two games due to an illness involving a family member, and Paul had missed eight with a severely sprained left ankle. "On this last trip, for instance, we had different people in different roles, particularly the last two games with Peja"