DIME magazine's Austin Burton decided to join the “Is Rodney Stuckey a franchise player debate?” Burton doesn’t take a firm stance one way or the other, but makes a very valid point about the expectations for Stuckey next season.

“If Stuckey is supposed to be Detroit’s meal ticket, next season is ‘put up or shut up’ time. Not saying he needs to hoist the team on his back and go championship-or-bust — but by the end of a player’s fourth year, most of the time, we know whether or not they’ve got superstar quality,” Burton wrote.

Burton is dead on. If Stuckey can’t step up and show he is “The Guy” next season then it’s time for the Pistons to look elsewhere.

I haven’t been as high on Stuckey as the Pistons seem to be. I think he is a nice complimentary player, a second or third option on a good team and or a Jason Terry or Jamal Crawford like role off the bench on a great team.

Unless Detroit wins the lottery and lands John Wall, odds are Stuckey will once again be the Pistons starting point guard next season. And Burton said it best, it’s put up or shut up time.