HoopsHype.com Rumors

Shinn: One of those questions was the team’s financial condition. Shortly after the NBA takeover, reports indicated the team was burdened with a great deal of long-term debt (about $111 million). How did the team get into that long-term debt that seemed to be prevalent? I think our long-term debt situation came when we started to try to build a team. When we first signed Peja (Stojakovic) and we signed him to a big (five years, $64 million) contract, and for the next year we wanted to take another step forward and the way to do that was to sign another free agent. And Morris Peterson was there (four years, $23 million). I talked to our GM at the time, Jeff Bower. We wanted to sign him, and it was going to cost money. We had to get rid of some other players to get our payroll down. During that time, we didn’t get rid of those players. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Morris Peterson, Peja Stojakovic, George Shinn 

Regardless of the pending lockout, Dallas Mavericks veteran Peja Stojakovic prefers to finish his pro career in the NBA and not overseas, he told Yahoo! Sports. The 13-year forward is a free agent this summer. Yahoo! Sports

Dallas Mavericks, Free Agency, Peja Stojakovic 

Mike Fisher: #mavs were intrigued by $1mil salary for TMurphy if bought out - PRE PEJA. wont engage in big bidding war now Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Trade, Troy Murphy, Peja Stojakovic 

Peja Stojakovic doesn't want to retire. He doesn't want to finish his career in Europe. He hopes to stay in the NBA. While there is no guarantee an NBA team will want to sign Stojakovic when he becomes a free agent this summer, he let that desire be known in an interview with FanHouse. "That's my preference,'' said the Dallas forward, a 13-year veteran. "I would like to finish in the NBA. But it depends on how I feel physically. If I can play another year (in the NBA), that'd be great.'' FanHouse.com

Dallas Mavericks, Free Agency, Peja Stojakovic 

The Raptors were willing to take Stojakovic, who had been making $14.26 million in the final year of a five-year, $64 million deal, because they also got young guard Jerryd Bayless in the deal and they had no problem parting with Marcus Banks, Jarrett Jack and David Andersen. Stojakovic said there was an understanding he wouldn't be long for the Raptors. "When I got traded, we were very open with everything,'' Stojakovic said. "Either they were going to trade me (by the Feb. 24 deadline) or buy me out ... I didn't know about Dallas until the buyout happened ... I thought it was a good fit for me.'' FanHouse.com

Dallas Mavericks, Free Agency, Peja Stojakovic 

His legendary offensive abilities were such that, according to former PAOK general manager Steve Costalas, the favorite sports joke among Greeks went as follows: "What is an assist?" "When Peja passes from his right hand to his left." "What is the cross offense?" "When someone gives the ball to Peja and everyone crosses themselves." Sacramento Bee

Dallas Mavericks, Peja Stojakovic, Greece 

Peja was a huge fan of rap music and Mafia movies, and according to his PAOK teammates, fancied himself quite the dancer. Sacramento Bee

Dallas Mavericks, Peja Stojakovic, Greece 

Bill Ingram: Peja Stojakovic tells HOOPSWORLD he expects to make his Mavericks debut on Monday against the Cavaliers. Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Peja Stojakovic 

Cuban said before Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks that the Mavericks would have no qualms whatsoever making a deal - big or small - before the deadline. And such a deal might also include perusing players who are bought out or waived by their teams, a la Peja Stojakovic. "It's not a ... secret list,'' Cuban said. "We speculate like anybody else about depending on the performance of this team, they might make a change. Every team goes through that. You're in love with your team on Nov. 1 and on Feb. 23, you may not be as in love with your team or players and you make a change. Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Peja Stojakovic, New York 

On Thursday, Carlisle said it would be "a while" before Stojakovic is ready to play. Later, one team source suggested a week to 10 days. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Peja Stojakovic 

Before Novak was waived in early January to make room for Sasha Pavlovic, the 6-10 Novak was the kind of the 3-point shoot-offs the Mavericks had during practices. He was unbeatable. Now, there’s Stojakovic, who has more than 1,700 3-pointers made in his career. “I just shot with him, and he beat me every single time,’’ Nowitzki said of Stojakovic. “We all know what he did in this league. He’s one of the best shooters in this league. And his stroke is still there.’’ Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojakovic 

Surely Peja had a few suitors. Why do you think Dallas won out? Donnie Nelson: He and Dirk are friends and we’ve got one of the top teams in the League. I think it was a combination of the two. HoopsHype

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojakovic, Donnie Nelson 

Peja Stojakovic is in Dallas, but the 6-9 small forward did not attend the Mavericks' practice this morning. The Mavs expect to sign Stojakovic at some point. At this point, they're awaiting word from the NBA on a proposed trade that would send center Alexis Ajinca to the Tornoto Raptors. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Trade, Peja Stojakovic, Alexis Ajinca 

If the league doesn't approve the Ajinca trade, the Mavs will likely release him and free up that spot to sign Stojakovic. "We've just got to be patient,'' said Donnie Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations. "We're going through the process.'' Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Trade, Peja Stojakovic, Alexis Ajinca 

The Mavericks expect Peja Stojakovic to sign with them today after he clears waivers. 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. Multiple sources said Stojakovic arrived in Dallas on Sunday. The Mavericks are hopeful he can take part in today's scheduled practice. Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Peja Stojakovic, Alexis Ajinca, Sasha Pavlovic 

The Celtics had faint interest in sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, who was bought out by the Raptors Thursday. Stojakovic (above) is headed to Dallas, according to a league source, because his family is close by in New Orleans, and the Mavericks desperately need small forward help with the injury to Caron Butler. The Celtics are keeping their eyes open for available players, and the pool will increase with the trade deadline upcoming. Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Peja Stojakovic 

Jackson, in fact, wants to stay in Charlotte and is not asking for a trade -- despite apparent interest from Dallas. A trade to the Mavs presumably would give Jackson a chance to be the missing piece on a championship-contending team in the West, but sources say it's more complicated than that. The Mavs first have to find out if they're still an elite team with a healthy Dirk Nowitzki and with Peja Stojakovic replacing Caron Butler, who may or may not return for the playoffs. If they're not, adding Jackson and the $19.3 million he is owed over the next two seasons wouldn't make sense for either party. CBSSports.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Trade, Peja Stojakovic, Stephen Jackson 

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. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Trade, Peja Stojakovic 

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. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Peja Stojakovic, Alexis Ajinca 

Ajinca cleared the roster spot necessary for Stojakovic to sign with Dallas, but what’s considered against NBA rules would be a previously arranged buyout and promise to sign with Dallas coupled with Ajinca’s trade. Several other West contenders also were interested in signing Stojakovic. “We did not protest it, but it was clearly a side-arranged deal which is not supposed to be allowed,” one Western Conference executive told Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Sports

Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Peja Stojakovic, Alexis Ajinca