Cleveland Cavaliers: Is Rodney Hood the next Victor Oladipo?

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CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 6: Rodney Hood #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers moves the ball against Shaun Livingston #34 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Three of the 2018 NBA Finals on June 6, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Could the Cleveland Cavaliers have the next Victor Oladipo on their hands with Rodney Hood?

Indiana Pacers’ fifth-year guard Victor Oladipo broke-out as a star last season, earning his first All-Star appearance and leading the league in steals (2.4). Could the Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Rodney Hood do the same?

However, last year with the Thunder, he was no star at all. He was ultimately a failed experiment alongside Russell Westbrook, culminating in some miserable showings in Oklahoma City’s first-round exit to the Rockets.

If you think hard enough, Hood’s turbulent fourth season was a little like Oladipo’s fourth in OKC.

Both players showed better scoring ability with their original, less offensively talented teams. Both faded in the playoffs (Hood far more than Oladipo). And both also experienced strange role shifts in their careers that have affected their productions and efficiencies.

Without LeBron James next season, Hood will be granted a bigger role and more touches as a primary wing option—the type of option he was supposed to be in Utah before rookie Donovan Mitchell exploded. Maybe he’ll turn into more than just a primary option like Oladipo did without Westbrook.

Maybe Hood will become a star.