11:31am: The Pacers have officially waived Stuckey, the team announced today in a press release.
9:38am: The Pacers are waiving injured guard Rodney Stuckey, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). The news comes on the heels of Stuckey suffering a left patellar tendon strain, which is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks.
Stuckey’s contract situation was a motivating factor for the Pacers here, since he had an unusual option for the 2017/18 season. In most cases, player options represent guaranteed money (unless the player opts out), but Stuckey’s $7MM player option for next year was more of a mutual option. As Charania notes, by waiving the veteran guard prior to April 10, Indiana won’t be on the hook for any of his salary for 2017/18.
While Stuckey should be ready to return to action by the end of April or start of May, he’s unlikely to land with another team this season, so he could get a head start on free agency for next year, assuming he clears waivers. If he’s formally waived today, the former first-round pick would clear waivers on Friday.
Stuckey, who will turn 31 next month, is coming off perhaps his worst NBA season. In 39 games, he averaged 7.2 PPG and shot just 37.3% from the field — both marks are career-lows. Even if he had stayed healthy, Stuckey may have been a candidate to be cut before season’s end, in order to get the Pacers off the hook for next year’s salary.
With Stuckey headed to the waiver wire, the Pacers will open up a spot on their roster at a time when they could use some added depth. Regular rotation players Al Jefferson and Glenn Robinson III are also on the shelf with injuries as Indiana makes a late-season push to clinch a playoff spot. The team will have the opportunity to add someone new to its roster on either a 10-day contract or a rest-of-season deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Maybe Washington signs him to bolster their bench even more for next season.
Zach Lowe called it! Monta Ellis may be next (although next year)
Charlotte should try to add him on the cheap for a playoff push and next year to bolster the bench
Him and monta Ellis, basically the same player at this point of their career, can be good but inconsistent, small for 2 guard, not great shooting the 3. And they are both getting older. If Indiana is gonna keep Jeff Teague they can’t have these dudes too since Teague already isn’t scaring anyone from downtown
Boston should cut James Young and add him. He’s a playoff caliber rotation player, and which can’t hurt. They don’t even really need a guard, I’m still just waiting for something since they didn’t do anything at the deadline.
Are you James Young’s childhood mortal enemy? I swear I’ve seen you suggest that Boston should cut him on at least a handful of different posts here. Also, Stuckey wouldn’t be eligible for the playoffs, so it would be a pretty short-term signing for Boston.
No, haha. Forgot about playoff eligibility, so that wouldn’t make any sense. Honestly I’m mostly just ticked off because I was an RJ Hunter fan. Young hasn’t really done much, and I would’ve liked them to keep Hunter instead. Also, isn’t he up this year anyway? I can’t see him resigning, so I guess I just figured he was the 15th guy and he’d probably be the one to go if they clear a roster spot. He might flourish somewhere he can play, like Brooklyn, but Boston doesn’t have time to wait for him to develop. I guess maybe stashing Demetrius Jackson in the D-League would be the better move anyways since they wouldn’t have to cut anyone. It’s nothing personal with Young, I liked him coming out of college and wanted him to succeed here, I just think the time has come and gone where he can make an impact here.
I’ve gotten more amusement out of the continuing suggestions than I should have probably. I just had to ask. I’m sure we all have certain players we feel aren’t the best use of roster spots on our teams, haha.
That would’ve been a better story though. I should’ve said yes!
Yeah, I mean, if there was someone else we should cut instead, I’d listen, I’m not set on James Young, I just want another addition to the roster. Heck, bring back Sullinger and waive Zeller. I don’t care. Just do something. Not actually Zeller, he plays but you know what I mean.
Might have to make my new username James Young’s mortal enemy.
He’s hurt for basically the rest of the season so I don’t see anyone signing him. By the time he would be healthy, it would be late in the playoffs. A guy with little practice time and no regular season minutes to try and mesh with his new teammates isn’t going to get much, if any, playing time in the playoffs. Plus, isn’t it past the date for teams to sign him and for him to be playoff eligible? I always forget the rule, but wasn’t the deadline for players who played in this NBA season to be playoff eligible after being waived in early March?