NEW ORLEANS – Peja Stojakovic still looks like Peja Stojakovic.

He could still make a smooth transition into modeling, as long as the cameras hide that bald spot. The former King is still smiley, goofy, the funny one in the New Orleans Hornets' locker room, according to coach Byron Scott.

But Peja Stojakovic doesn't feel like Peja Stojakovic as he faces the Kings at 5 tonight at New Orleans Arena. He hasn't for years.

Hence, this long-awaited Plan B. And, yes, that's "B" as in back.

The Hornets' highest-paid player and a three-time All-Star, Stojakovic is a shooter the likes of which the league has rarely seen. But he plans to come off the bench this season because of his back.

Chronic back problems have threatened to cut his career short and certainly diminished it. Stojakovic had back surgery in 2007 and missed a combined 93 games in the last three seasons mostly because of the injury.

After the Hornets' humiliating five-game loss to Denver in the first round of last season's playoffs, Scott began thinking. He decided less is more to allow Stojakovic, 32, to play like his old self.

"I think it makes it easier on him," Scott said. "It's less minutes. He's not going against some of these premier small forwards right off the bat every single night. I like him coming off the bench going against some of the bench guys that have to guard him and that he'll have to guard."

He made that pitch to Stojakovic before training camp. Scott touted the mismatches and how he could utilize his prized shooter when he wasn't sharing the floor with scorers such as Chris Paul and David West. Using third-year player Julian Wright in the starting lineup instead of Stojakovic makes matters easier on Scott, too; the unpredictable absences didn't do much for much-needed stability.

The plan didn't pay off in the Hornets' season-opening loss at San Antonio. Stojakovic took two shots (hitting one) in 20 minutes while fellow former King and backup point guard Bobby Brown took 12 shots off the bench. Still, Stojakovic endorsed the idea from the beginning.

"It was pretty easy when I talked to him about it," Scott said. "He was happy about it. He felt like, at this stage of his career, he's done a whole lot of good things in his life and this would be a pretty fun thing for him."

That was incentive enough.

As Stojakovic discussed the second chapter of his career after the Hornets' Oct. 22 exhibition game at Golden State, there wasn't much talk of fun. It has been a painful three years, physically and psychologically. He will forever be known as a bad investment; the five-year, $64 million deal he signed in 2006 was seen as pricey even before he suffered so many setbacks.

But Stojakovic said none of that matters. He wants to produce and be pain-free. In that respect, it's been a good start to the season.

At the time of the interview, he had gone nearly 30 days without taking painkillers. No Voltaren, the anti-inflammatory drug that he said he took after every game last season. None of the heavier stuff, either, or the cortisone shot he said he took "a couple weeks before the playoffs (last season) just to get on the court."

"It's giving me a good feeling," said Stojakovic, who has averaged 17.7 points in his 11 seasons but whose 13.3 mark last season was a career low as a starter. "I really believe I can still play basketball and still be productive out there.

"But I want to be on the floor and be free-minded, not think about how I'm going to step or how I'm going to land or if I push or slip, if something's going to happen."

Stojakovic was not surprised that it could take extreme measures to lengthen his career, not after meeting with his surgeon in 2006.

"Right after the surgery, I had a setback and I saw him and he (said) it to me like, 'Sometimes if you feel that way in the near future, you may consider retirement,' " Stojakovic said. "That kind of came out of nowhere and really shocked me. He said a second surgery doesn't make any sense. I came into that year and had a good year, played 70-something games. I'm feeling all right right now.

"I still enjoy playing games. I still have fun being with the guys. If I feel right, feel healthy, if I'm not forced to quit, why not be around if I'm healthy? And if I can be helpful … "

Then the older Peja Stojakovic will be like new.

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