Opposing players believe Rodney Hood will excel in Cleveland
The most important player the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired on Thursday could be swingman Rodney Hood.
HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy asked multiple players about their thoughts on the trade deadline and one name that kept popping up: Rodney Hood. Hood, one of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ four acquisitions on Thursday, is averaging 16.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 42.4 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from three-point range and 87.6 percent from the free-throw line this season.
In three instances, Hood was specifically mentioned as a player to watch for. The respect that his peers have for him is telling as, with any profession, the people who may have the best idea of his ability are his peer group.
From an Eastern Conference guard:
"“I love the Rodney Hood pick-up. I know his game well and he’ll really help them. He’s athletic, he can shoot it, he can defend and he’s way better than [Jae] Crowder.”"
From a Western Conference guard:
"“The Cavs have to be the winner of the trade deadline, I think. Rodney Hood is about to show out.”"
From another Eastern Conference guard:
"“Rodney Hood is the real dark horse here. I’m curious to see what he’ll do in Cleveland.”"
Hood, who the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired from the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade that also brought point guard George Hill from the Sacramento Kings, is a 25-year-old swingman with a smooth scoring game.
The Duke University product is having a career year, which makes it baffling for the Utah Jazz to move him. However, while a head-scratching move, the Jazz have been a team that thrives on defense (hence their trade for Jae Crowder) and Hood’s impact is mainly on the offensive end. Furthermore, Hood is still on his rookie contract and if he keeps up his season-to-season progress he’ll see his contract figure balloon. Hood’s potential salary may just be something they’re unwilling to pay.
The emergence of Jazz forward Joe Ingles has likely played a part in Hood’s trade as well.
Still, there’s just a lot like about Hood’s game. To start, he plays within himself and demonstrates a terrific feel for the game, carefully picking and choosing when to go up and release his shot. The shot itself is beautiful; the ball floats out of his left hand like it was destined to go through the nets. The purity of his jump shot allows him to excel a set shooter (he’s converting 38.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts) or off-the-dribble (he’s converting 38.4 percent of his pull-up three-point attempts).
His feel for the game extends to his playmaking ability out of the pick-and-roll, where he ranks near the 81st percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler while using the play on 27.5 percent of his offensive possessions. In the video below, Hood makes plays out of the pick-and-roll time and time again.
Altogether, his basketball IQ, feel for the game, shot-making ability, ball-handling ability, physical profile and athleticism are all tools that help him in isolation (9.8 percent of his total offensive possessions) as well, where he’s in the 80th percentile and shooting 42.6 percent from the field. For comparison, Paul George is in the 64th percentile in isolation (12.2 percent of his total offensive possessions), shooting 41.4 percent from the field.
Looking at his game it’s easy to see why his fellow players are impressed by his play and anticipate a breakout. He nor George Hill are proven volume scorers but there will be plenty of opportunity for shot attempts, especially with Love sidelined until the end of the regular season.
It’s neither here nor there, but interestingly enough, the draft pick used to select Hood 23rd overall in the 2014 NBA Draft was dealt to the Utah Jazz (Hood’s former team) from the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors, Jazz and Denver Nuggets used the pick in a three-team trade that included former Cav forward Richard Jefferson and current Warriors forward Andre Iguodala.
How’s that for history repeating itself? Hood, now dealt in another three-team trade (this time as an actual player and not a draft pick), is a forward who will help the Cavs defeat Iguodala’s Warriors.
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