Broken nose hurts Pistons' Miller in more ways than one

ORLANDO, Fla. – It's like getting to Christmas morning and being told there are not any presents.

Detroit Pistons forward Quincy Miller put in more than two months of work to get the chance to showcase his skills during Orlando summer-league action, only to suffer a broken nose during scrimmages last week.

Also diagnosed with an orbital floor fracture and a right eye corneal abrasion, he will miss the entire week and there is no basketball for 4 to 6 weeks.

No surgery is required, but for a guy hoping to impress enough to make the opening night roster, it's a missed opportunity.

"It was a lot of hurt, a lot of emotions because I'm working so hard, sometimes it's twice a day for like 40 days straight," Miller said when asked his thoughts when he was told he couldn't play. "I was hurt, but stuff happens."

He will get a mask in three weeks to get accustomed to the fit.

Miller, 22, said the team remains supportive and he just realizes he will have to take advantage of his chances when training camp comes.

"It's been all positive feedback," Miller said.

■Stuckey re-signs with Pacers: Former Piston Rodney Stuckey will stick with the Indiana Pacers.

Multiple reports say Stuckey, 29, will re-sign with the Pacers for three years and $21 million with the third year a player option.

"(Pacers president Larry Bird) wanted him back, but we weren't sure it was going to happen," Stuckey's agent, Paolo Zamorano, told ESPN.com. "We took a chance because Rodney wanted to wait.

"Things worked out for everyone."

■Datome wants to stay: Luigi Datome hasn't found a home and is getting calls to return overseas.

But the Italian wants to remain in the NBA after two seasons spent with the Pistons and Boston Celtics.

"It's very early because (NBA) free agency is so (early)," Datome told the Boston Herald. "My agent told me that first the big players will sign, and then you have to wait. I've waited more than two months to get here, so I can wait two more."

The Pistons signed Datome, 27, in the summer of 2013 from one of the best professional leagues in the world to provide outside shooting.

But he never saw much action and shot poorly in his few opportunities.

At the 2015 trade deadline he was sent to the Celtics — along with Jonas Jerebko — for Tayshaun Prince's return to the Pistons.

Datome had some moments with the Celtics, but he is now a free agent.

"My agent is listening to proposals from European teams, and right now we're not saying no to anyone," Datome said. "But I still want to see if anyone in the NBA wants to sign me.

"My goal is to be a player who plays every night," he said. "I know I'm not ready to be someone who plays 30 minutes in every game, but I would like to have a regular role off the bench on a team."

■Briefly: The San Antonio Express-News reported the Spurs are interested in former Pistons Prince and Caron Butler as free-agent signings.

Contact Vince Ellis: vellis@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @vincent_ellis56.