Indiana Pacers Sign Rodney Stuckey

Nov 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detroit Pistons guard

(3) is defended by Atlanta Hawks guard

(8) during the second quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

The Indiana Pacers moved quickly to replace Lance Stephenson, who left to sign with the Charlotte Hornets earlier today. According to a report from Sam Amick, the Pacers have agreed to a one-year contract with former Detroit Pistons shooting guard Rodney Stuckey. This may not be the type of move that Pacers fans will get excited about, but it is a quality move that will help the Pacers remain in contention this season.

There has been no announcement as to how much money the Pacers will be giving to Stuckey this season, but it doesn’t appear to be an expensive deal. He has a very potent offensive game, but the Pacers will miss Stephenson’s ability to be a playmaker from the shooting guard position. Stuckey also won’t be able to bring a three-point shooting threat to the court, and that could be an issue against good defensive teams.

Stuckey played in 73 regular season games last year with the Pistons, starting in just five of those appearances. He averaged 13.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, which may not look like great numbers but the scoring aspect will be much needed in Indiana. His ability to get to the free-throw line can be difficult for opposing defenses, and he shot 83.6% from the foul line last year.

Overall, this doesn’t appear to be the last move that Larry Bird is planning to make this offseason. Stuckey is going to be a very important piece for the Pacers this season, and will likely be a pleasant surprise for most fans that are disappointed in this move. That being said, Frank Vogel will have to figure out how to use Stuckey in a way that gets the most out of him.