Rodney Stuckey injury: Surgery on fractured thumb successful

After slamming his right thumb in a car door on Wednesday, Rodney Stuckey underwent surgery Friday morning. From the team's official press release:

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Detroit Pistons announced today that guard Rodney Stuckey underwent successful surgery to repair a fracture of the distal phalanx on his right thumb.  The procedure was performed by Dr. Brian Najerian at DMC Surgical Hospital in Detroit, MI.

Stuckey will wear a splint on the thumb for two weeks and will be re-evaluated at that time.

The fact he's wearing a splint instead of a cast seems like a good sign, but it's too early to guess if he'll be ready for the season opener on Wednesday, Oct. 30, which is nearly three weeks away. I'm the last person you should rely on for medical advice, but this doesn't sound like the type of injury that will prevent Stuckey from maintaining his conditioning -- even if he's a bit rusty when he returns, hopefully he'll still have his legs.

This is a pivotal season for Stuckey, who will be an unrestricted free agent this coming summer. After six years in Detroit, he's failed to carve out a permanent niche -- he regressed last season to average the fewest minutes (28.6 per game) and points (11.5 per game) since his rookie year. Even after returning, his greatest value to the Pistons may be as a trade chip before the deadline.