Stojakovic retires; waived McDyess likely to call it quits

By Paul Levine Dec 20, 2011, 4:22 GMT

Los Angeles - Tired of battling his beat-up body, Peja Stojakovic is calling it quits.

One of the game's premier sharpshooters, Stojakovic announced on Monday that he was retiring after 13 NBA seasons due to the physical demands of the game.

Stojakovic has been bothered by neck and back injuries during the latter stages of his brilliant but deteriorating career, and has only been able to play an average of 30 games the last few seasons.

'When you start competing against your body more than you're preparing for the actual game, it's a wake-up,' he said.

'I feel so blessed to have been given the athletic gifts to play professional basketball. I have always loved the game, and have great respect for it, and I know the time is right to step away.

'I promised myself a long time ago, if it came to the point where my heart and body were not 100 per cent committed, I would step away. I have reached that point and I know the time is right to retire.'

The sweet-stroking 34-year old Serbian is going out on top, having won his first NBA Championship ring with the Dallas Mavericks last season after starring in Sacramento, Indiana and New Orleans.

'I want to thank the Dallas Mavericks for believing in me this past season,' he said, 'and for giving me the chance to end my NBA career with a championship.'

During a stellar career, Stojakovic was a three-time All-Star, who averaged 17 points per game and finished fourth all-time in three-pointers (1,760).

'Peja will go down as one of the great shooters in the history of the NBA,' league commissioner David Stern said. 'Peja was part of the wave of international stars that helped introduce the world to the NBA game and inspired thousands of fans to begin playing the sport of basketball.'

In other moves: Antonio McDyess, one of the oldest players in the game at 37, is likely done after the San Antonio Spurs waived the veteran forward/centre, because they did not want to guarantee the other half of his 5.2-million-dollar contract.

'Antonio McDyess is the ultimate pro,' said Spurs general manager RC Buford. 'It was truly a pleasure to have him in San Antonio the last two seasons.'

Plagued by knee injuries during his 16-year career, McDyess still managed to average 12.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with Denver, Phoenix, New York and Detroit Pistons prior to joining the Spurs in 2009-2010.

The Washington Wizards re-signed free agent sharpshooting guard Nick Young, to a one-year, 3.7 million dollar contract after averaged a team-high and career-best 17.4 points in 64 games for the club last season.

The Sacramento Kings voided the four-year, 21.3 million dollar contract of power forward Chuck Hayes due to a heart abnormality discovered in an echo stress test during his physical.

Hayes averaged 7.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in 74 games with Houston last season.

Looking to beef up their backcourt, the New York Knicks signed unrestricted veteran free agent guard Baron Davis to a one-year deal worth a reported 2.5 million dollars after clearing amnesty waivers over the weekend.

Currently undergoing treatment for a bulging back disk, Davis could miss up to 10 weeks of the season, depending on his recovery time.

Davis averaged 13.1 points and 6.7 assists last season in 58 games for the LA Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Those numbers are well below his career averages of 16.7 points and 7.3 assists in 12 NBA seasons.

The Charlotte Bobcats signed rookie forward Bismack Biyombo, the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, who spent the last two seasons playing in Spain.

The Denver Nuggets re-signed restricted free agent small forward Arron Afflalo to a five-year, 43 million contract, according to the Denver Post.

In Monday's exhibition results:

Kemba Walker, the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft made a successful pro debut, scoring 18 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 55 seconds left as the Charlotte Bobcats clipped the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 79-77, in the preseason opener for both teams.