NBA Rumors: Four Teams Interested In Signing Rodney Hood In NBA Free Agency
Rodney Hood is heading into an interesting offseason after a disappointing finish to the 2017-18 NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After being traded ahead of the trade deadline by the Utah Jazz, Hood never found his comfort zone with the Cavaliers. In the playoffs, things began to unravel for the talented wing player.
Cleveland removed Hood from the rotation after struggling in the early stages of the playoffs. Hood also refused to play late in one of the games, which forced him even further out of the rotation.
Despite the fact that Hood struggled with the Cavaliers, he is headed into free agency this offseason. His value may not be as high as it would have been if he had stayed in Utah, but Hood is still a player that quite a few teams are going to check in on.
According to a report from Jordan Schultz of Yahoo! Sports, the Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans are all interested in signing Hood this offseason. All four teams make sense for him, as they could all use more perimeter shooting and scoring. Hood also isn’t a terrible defender.
During the 2017-18 season in 39 games and 12 starts with the Jazz, Hood averaged 16.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. In the 21 games and 11 starts that he played with the Cavaliers, Hood averaged 10.8 points per game to go along with 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
At 25-years-old, Hood will need to find a perfect fit in free agency to get his career back on track. He is without question one of the most talented free agents this offseason, but there are many question marks about his attitude and whether he will reach his full potential or not.
The #Pelicans, #Pacers, and #Bulls reportedly want #Cavs' Rodney Hood.https://t.co/N2KsjpKOpQ
— Cavs Nation (@CavsNationCP) June 27, 2018
Cleveland re-signing Hood wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. Hood was already upset with the way he was used in the rotation and the Cavaliers are not in a position to spend much money on supporting cast players while they’re trying to bring in a star.
Indiana, on the other hand, would make a lot of sense for Hood. He could come in immediately and compete with Bojan Bogdanovic for the starting small forward spot. The Pacers are one of the best young teams in the NBA and adding Hood would make their roster even deeper than it was last season.
Chicago simply doesn’t seem like the kind of fit that Hood needs to get back on track. They are a young team that is a few steps away from competing. Hood may not be interested in joining a rebuilding team at this point in his career.
Finally, the Pelicans are one of the most intriguing teams to watch this season. DeMarcus Cousins may be on his way out of town, but adding Hood would give them more scoring and perimeter shooting. New Orleans needs more wing support and Hood would fit in perfectly and potentially earn a starting job.
Expect to hear quite a few rumors surrounding Hood this offseason. He is not an “elite” name, but he is one that is capable of making a major impact for a contender.
