Sources: Peja Stojakovic to Mavs Ajinca to Raptors

The Mavericks have quickly received a verbal commitment from the just-released Peja Stojakovic that he intends to sign with Dallas upon clearing waivers, according to sources close to the situation.

The Raptors formally waived Stojakovic on Thursday afternoon after completing a buyout of the 33-year-old's $15 million expiring contract.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Mavericks, meanwhile, are closing in on a separate trade with the Raptors -- sending little-used center Alexis Ajinca to Toronto -- to create a roster spot for Stojakovic without having to let newcomer Sasha Pavlovic go. A trade call with the league office to secure final approval was tentatively scheduled for Thursday night.

"We were clear from the beginning that our trade with New Orleans was made with the future in mind, so a buyout or trade of Peja's contract was a likely option," Colangelo said Thursday in a statement. "Although he did not fit into our plan of developing our young core talent, I'm sure that Peja will add significantly to any veteran team that signs him."

Ajinca, meanwhile, will be dealt to the Raptors along with cash considerations and a 2013 second-round pick that Toronto had sent to Dallas in last year's draft. In return, Dallas will receive the rights to 2007 second-round pick Georgios Printezis (who plays in Spain and is no longer considered an NBA prospect) and create a salary-cap exception equal to Ajinca's $1.5 million salary.

The Mavericks have been shopping Ajinca almost from the moment he arrived last summer as a throw-in to make the salary-cap math work in Dallas' deal with Charlotte for center Tyson Chandler. Although the Mavs like Ajinca's shooting touch for a big man, they have three centers ahead of him -- Chandler, Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi -- and had promised Ajinca's agent (Dallas-based Bouna Ndiaye) months ago that they would try to find a new home for his client. The Raptors, sources said, have been tracking Ajinca for some time.