A Sign That New Orleans Is Finally Getting Back On Its Feet

I don't know if you'd call him a marquee free agent, but for New Orleans/Oklahoma City, it's not bad. Peja Stojakovic has signed with NOOCH for a staggering $64 million over five years, in what may be a gross misappropriation of Katrina relief funds.

That seems like a lot of money for who wasn't that great of a player last year. Maybe he'll regain some of his form in New Orleans, but he never found any kind of a groove in Indiana. It feels like a long time since he played at anything resembling an All-Star level. But when New Orleans got an indication that any kind of a free agent was considering them, I'm sure they said something like, "Really? Does he know what happened in New Orleans? Screw it, just give him whatever he wants before he changes his mind."

Elsewhere in free agent news, the Lakers have swiped Vlad Radmanovic from the Clippers, with a five year, $30 million mid-level exception deal. The Serbians. They love Kobe.

Stojakovic joins Hornets [ SI.com]