B.C Says Hit The Road Jack

The trade we reported earlier in the Dino Nation Blog and talked with Jack Armstrong earlier in the day in now official. It was made official in a press release by the Raptors just before 11pm this evening. Here is that Press Release:

The Toronto Raptors announced Saturday they have acquired guard Jerryd Bayless, forward Peja Stojakovic (stoy-AK-o-vich) and cash considerations from the New Orleans Hornets for centre David Andersen and guards Marcus Banks and Jarrett Jack. “Acquisition of another emerging talent and the creation of additional salary cap flexibility in the coming years were the key drivers in making this deal,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “Our plan of developing our existing young players and acquiring future assets remains our focus in retooling this Toronto basketball team.”

Bayless, 22, is in his third NBA campaign. He was selected 11^th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. He is a career .820 per cent (297-362) free throw shooter. He netted a career-best 31 points in his first career start December 23, 2009 at San Antonio.

Bayless averaged 13.5 points, 3.8 assists and 27.7 minutes in six postseason outings with Portland last season. In 138 career games (11 starts), the former Arizona Wildcat has averaged 6.6 points, 2.0 assists and 15.3 minutes.

Stojakovic is in his 13^th season in the NBA. The three-time All-Star has appeared in 777 regular season games and 76 postseason contests. He has averaged double figures in scoring in 11 of his 12 seasons, with a career-best 24.2 points in the 2003-04 season when he garnered second-team All-NBA honours.

Stojakovic played eight seasons with Sacramento (1998-2005), part of the 2005-06 season with Indiana and the past five campaigns with the Hornets (2006-2010). He owns a career regular season average of 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 34.0 minutes. In postseason play, he has contributed an average of 16.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 36.3 minutes.

One of the top three-point shooters in league history, Stojakovic has placed in the Top 10 in made three-pointers four times and twice in three-point field goal percentage. In 2003-04, Stojakovic made a league-high 240 three-pointers and finished sixth with a .433 (240-of-554) three-point shooting percentage.

Andersen was acquired from Houston on July 28. He averaged 5.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 13.6 minutes in 11 contests as a Raptor.

Banks appeared in 25 games with Toronto where he averaged 4.6 points, 1.2 assists and 10.6 minutes. He was acquired along with Shawn Marion from Miami on February 13, 2009.

Jack averaged 11.3 points, 5.0 assists and 27.3 minutes in 95 appearances with the Raptors. He was one of two players to appear in all 82 games for the club last season. Jack was signed as a free agent July 21, 2009.

Bayless and Stojakovic are expected to be in uniform Wednesday when the Raptors play host to the Philadelphia 76ers at Air Canada Centre. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.