Mickael Pietrus, who played with the Celtics last season, will sign with the Raptors. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Veteran free agent Mickael Pietrus will sign a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, USA Today’s Sam Amick reported on Thursday.

Mutual interest from both Pietrus and the Raptors had been building. The Los Angeles Lakers had also reportedly been interested in Pietrus, who had declined to accept a minimum-salary offer from other teams.

Pietrus played last season in Boston with the Celtics, where he averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He is a career 35.7 percent shooter from 3-point range, so he should help a Toronto offense that ranks just 19th in 3-point shooting.

At just 3-13, the Raptors are already eight games back of Atlantic Division-leading Brooklyn and New York.

The Indiana Pacers are in the midst of coming up with a contingency plan now that their franchise swingman Danny Granger may be out until after February’s All-Star break. One possible scenario is that the team enlists in the services of veteran free agent guard Mikael Pietrus, as Indianapolis Star Pacers beat writer Mike Wells tweeted Wednesday morning that the team is already in contact with Pietrus’ agent, Bill McCandless.

McCandless had said in July that there’s “no chance” that Pietrus, who turns 31 in February, would sign a veteran’s minimum contract, which could have been part of the reason the Celtics did not bring him back after he played in 42 games for Boston last season. But if Pietrus does sign with the Pacers, it would likely be for the veteran’s minimum. He is a nine-year NBA veteran who averaged 6.9 points on 38-percent shooting last year for the Celtics, although it is his ability to guard multiple positions that provides more value than any contributions he would make on the offensive end at this point in his career. His health would be another question for the Pacers to address. In June, he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

The Pacers have already reached out to the agent of free agent swingman Mickael Pietrus as a possible replacement in the lineup—
Mike Wells (@MikeWellsNBA) November 07, 2012

Mickael Pietrus won’t accept a veteran’s minimum and could be headed out of Boston. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Mickael Pietrus’ days in Boston seem to be numbered. His agent, Bill McCandless, told WEEI Boston “there’s no chance he’ll ever sign” a veteran’s minimum contract:

“MP will not play for the veteran’s minimum,” said McCandless. “Period. It’s not happening. That’s the beginning, middle and end of that. [H]e is not a veteran’s minimum player. There’s no chance he’ll ever sign for that.”

If Pietrus does return to the Celtics, he would likely have to accept a lesser role and a salary of $1.2 million next season, virtually identical to what he was paid last season. The team now has Paul Pierce, Jeff Green, Jason Jerry, Avery Bradley and Courtney Lee as swingmen.

For the Celtics last season, Pietrus averaged 6.9 points on 38-percent shooting in 42 games. He’s seen more as a defensive player but injuries have limited him in this respect as well.

McCandless said the new collective bargaining agreement reached last summer during the lockout has driven players to focus more on financial incentives when re-negotiating a contract, and that ultimately Pietrus is just another professional in a business:

“I’ve had the veteran minimum thrown at me like hubcaps,” added McCandless. “In this collective bargaining agreement, a component of any player’s wishes and desires is the money teams are willing to pay. They’re pro athletes. My mother might cry in her beer when Johnny Damon runs away to the Yankees, but you and I understand it’s a business.”

Celtics guard Ray Allen had successful surgery on his ankle today. (Issac Baldizon/NBA/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics announced that guards Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus both had surgery today, reports Comcast SportsNet.

Allen had successful arthroscopic surgery on right ankle that had been bothering him throughout the playoffs and Pietrus had arthroscopic surgery on right knee.

Allen averaged 14 points, 3.1 rebounds in 34 minutes per game and shot a career-high 45 percent from three-point land this season.  His three-point percentage ranked fourth in the NBA.

Pietrus averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds off the bench this season and was third on the team in made three-point field goals.

Boston Celtics players Ray Allen, Mickael Pietrus and Rajon Rondo did not travel with the team to Atlanta for Friday’s game, according to the Celtics’official Twitter account.

Ray Allen, Mickael Pietrus and Rajon Rondo are not traveling to Atlanta with the team on today's flight.

—
Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 19, 2012

With all three players absent from the team flight to Atlanta on Thursday, it is likely that they will not be playing in the Celtics’ final road game of the regular season Friday against the Hawks.  Allen has been out due to lingering soreness in his right ankle.  Pietrus experienced some swelling in his right knee after three straight games last weekend.  Rondo is out due to spasms he experienced as a result of landing hard on his back after going for a rebound in Tuesday’s game in New York.

After Friday’s game, the Celtics will have a three-day break, which should give ample time for all three players to return at full strength for the playoffs later this month.

Boston Celtics swingman Mickael Pietrus suffered a nasty injury two weeks ago in Philadelphia, tumbling to the floor and sustaining a Grade III concussion in a road loss to the 76ers, but there’s good news now on Pietrus’ recovery. As Celtics coach Doc Rivers announced prior to tonight’s rematch with the Sixers:

Doc says Pietrus passed "baseline" test for concussion and it's a step in right direction. "He's talking loud again, that's a good thing."

—
Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 08, 2012

Pietrus suffered the injury on March 24 — it was a scary scene, as the C’s reserve lay on the floor for nearly 10 minutes, immobile. Coach Doug Collins led the Sixers in a team prayer for the opposing player.

Rivers said a week later that Pietrus would be “out a while,” later amending that statement to say he was optimistic about him playing before the end of the regular season.

Pietrus has averaged 6.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game for the Celtics this season, primarily off the bench.

Boston Celtics forward Mickael Pietrus had to be carried off the floor on a stretcher after a scary fall in tonight’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Pietrus attempted to drive to the basket with 5:08 left in the second quarter, flanked by Sixers defenders Lou Williams and Elton Brand. He tripped and spilled to the floor, clutching at either his head or neck as he fell. It’s unclear exactly what Pietrus injured, but he was on the ground for several minutes. Coach Doug Collins and the Sixers said a team prayer while Pietrus lay motionless on the floor.

Pietrus was either vomiting or coughing up blood as he left the floor, according to various reports. No further details on his injury are available at this time.

The Celtics are already without Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox and Jermaine O’Neal for the entire season. Pietrus was starting in place of yet another injured Celtic — Ray Allen is out with a sore left ankle.

The Phoenix Suns have waived veteran Mickael Pietrus, according to an ESPN.com report.

Pietrus split time last season between Orlando and Phoenix, where he averaged 7.4 points and two rebounds a game.

There has been no formal announcement, but the ESPN report states that Pietrus’ name appears on a list of released players that is circulated to all 30 NBA teams. If Pietrus, 29, isn’t claimed within 48 hours, he will become an unrestricted free agent.