Hornets Complete Stojakovic Deal, Waive Macijauskas

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The New Orleans Hornets' offseason signing was about more than getting the player they felt was the best available. <br/><br/>Coach Byron Scott said yesterday the signings were

Thursday, July 13th 2006, 5:22 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The New Orleans Hornets' offseason signing was about more than getting the player they felt was the best available.

Coach Byron Scott said yesterday the signings were about showing how serious the team is about improving and being a competitive basketball team.

The Hornets completed their acquisition of three-time All-Star Peja Stojakovic through a sign-and-trade deal with Indiana.

Stojakovic's agent, David Bauman, said last week that Stojakovic would sign as a free-agent with New Orleans, but general manager Jeff Bower said the sign-and-trade deal was better.

Bauman has said Stojakovic's deal with the Hornets would be worth 64 million dollars over five years.

Stojakovic gives the Hornets the outside shooter they lacked last season in a surprising 20-win improvement that kept them in the playoffs until the final week of the season.

He rejoins former teammate Bobby Jackson, who has also agreed to terms with the Hornets.

The Hornets waive seldom-used guard Arvydas Macijauskas.

Macijauskas played in only 19 games last season and averaged 2-point-3 points and 7-point-1 minutes.

Hornets general manager Jeff Bower says his role last season wasn't what he or the organization envisioned when he was signed as a free agent. Bower says his departure gives the team the flexibility to improve during the off-season and he's now free to pursue a playing career in Europe.

Macijauskas was a member of the Lithuanian team that upset the U-S in the 2004 Olympics. He averaged 16 points and shot 42-point-six percent from three-point range for Tau Victoria of the Euroleague in 2004-2005.