Mar 10, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey (2) reacts to making a play during a game against the Orlando Magic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Orlando 118-86. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Rodney Stuckey was in town this weekend to serve as the “celebrity putter” at a charity mini-golf tournament. And the free agent told Tricia Whitaker of Indy Sports Central that he hopes to return to the Indiana Pacers next season and expects that he will.

“Obviously, I hope to be back here and I think we’ll figure something out. I’m not really worried about that,” Stuckey revealed. “I love the Pacers organization and I love my teammates. Next year, we will be a lot healthier and we’ll make the playoffs, so I’m excited.”

This aligns with what Larry Bird said after the season.

In his year-end press conference, the Pacers president called Rodney Stuckey “a major plus” and said that “I think we can get Rodney done,” insinuating that both sides were hoping to re-sign this summer despite the likely limitations of the salary cap.

Here is what I wrote about those salary cap realities at the time:

Presuming Roy stays then the Pacers will most likely try to re-sign Stuckey with part (or all) of the mid-level exception … If the Pacers want to keep Stuckey they can offer him around $5 million per year (for up to four years) to stay. Bird would certainly like that number to be lower so he that he could also divide the mid-level exception between two players (like he did last year, giving most to C.J. Miles and using the rest to take a, seemingly successful, flier on Damjan Rudez with the rest).

I can’t see Stuckey passing up $5 million per year to stay in a place he wants to stay, and I don’t know that he could make much more than that anywhere else. Maybe a bit more. But especially presuming Bird could get him to sign for $16 million over four years (or $12 million over three), I expect Rodney will be back next year.

Not surprisingly, if Rodney Stuckey does return (and we may as well say “when” really since it’s probably that much in the bag), he will continue to come off the bench.

Presume Rodney Stuckey will be back for 2015-16.