3
Years ago
Stojakovic to sign with Hornets
http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/stojakovic_hornets_060701.html
Stojakovic to sign with Hornets
By Conrad Brunner, July 1, 2006
It didn't take long for the opening of the free agent market to have an impact on the Pacers. On the day negotiations were allowed to begin, Peja Stojakovic has agreed to sign a reported five-year, $64-million contract with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
"The Hornets intend to enter into a player contract with free agent Peja Stojakovic once the NBA-mandated moratorium ends on July 12," said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. "Due to league rules we cannot comment further until that time."
Stojakovic averaged 19.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in 40 regular-season games after being acquired in a midseason trade for Ron Artest. He suffered e right knee injury in the playoffs, missing four of the six games in the first-round series against New Jersey.
Stojakovic's agent, David Bauman, also confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press.
"The Hornets are setting their cap room aside for Peja, and Peja is taking himself off the market," Bauman said. "The nature of NBA free agency is such that the faster you move, the faster you get what you want."
The Pacers had the ability to offer Stojakovic a six-year deal but Bauman told The Indianapolis Star the team's offer didn't compete with that of the Hornets.
With Stojakovic headed back to the Western Conference, the Pacers have second-year player Danny Granger atop the depth chart at small forward. They bolstered the position in Wednesday's NBA Draft, using their first-round pick on Memphis' Shawne Williams and making a trade of second-round picks to acquire Cincinnati's James White. The Indianapolis Star reported the team would make a move to re-acquire forward Al Harrington from Atlanta in a sign-and-trade deal. Harrington spent his first six seasons with the Pacers.
