Detroit Pistons Re-Sign Rodney Stuckey for 3 More Years

The Detroit Pistons made the right move Saturday, opting to keep Rodney Stuckey in the fold for a few more years. 

According to MLive.com's Justin Rogers, the contract shakes out to be a three-year $25 million deal.

To many people, this might sound like overpayment for a player who has never lived up to his draft position, and openly feuded with Pistons coach John Kuester. 

Stuckey led the mutiny against Kuester every bit as much as Richard Hamilton.

Stuckey is not completely at fault though.  He did not control his draft position, and expectations were too high coming in. 

As we all know, it takes two to tango, and the war with Kuester was not all Stuckey's doing.  Kuester had responsibility too.

When you look at what players of Stuckey's caliber and age are earning these days, this contract isn't over the top. 

Rogers' article cites three players in the league—Mike Conley, Marcus Thornton, and Caron Butler—who just signed very similar contracts last week. 

Stuckey is arguably the best of that bunch, averaging 15.5 points and 5.2 assists per game.  So the Pistons did well here. 

The deal makes fiscal sense, but it also makes it easy for Detroit to find a team to trade with if Stuckey doesn't work out.

Stuckey has to be happy with $8 million per year; that's nothing to shake a stick at. 

Three years is also the perfect length of time for him to reach his prime and prove that he is, in fact, a dominant player. 

If Stuckey does that, he could strike it rich.  He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this deal.

My only hope is that the Pistons will be smart and play Stuckey more at his natural position—shooting guard.

How much he plays at this position will depend on the maturity and progress of Brandon Knight, the Pistons' first-round draft choice. 

Knight had nine points and four assists in Friday night's preseason loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Not exactly setting the world on fire, but not bad for a first game.

This deal was a win-win for Stuckey and the Pistons.  Stuckey is in a much better position to be successful, with the Pistons or elsewhere, if he chooses to leave after three years.

The Pistons kept their points and assists leader from last year.  They've already invested much in Stuckey, and Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars really believes in him.

With a new contract, a new coach and a couple new faces, the sky is the limit for Stuckey and the Pistons.