Atlanta Hawks: 8 Free Agents in Playoffs Hawks Could Sign in Offseason
By Chris Guest
Rodney Hood
After three productive seasons in Utah, Rodney Hood was traded before last year’s trade deadline in an attempt to convince LeBron James to stay in Cleveland.
With that experiment failing miserably – similar to how James’s stint has started in L.A. – Hood was traded at this year’s deadline to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Hood’s numbers have dipped as a member of the Blazers, but he was coming from a team (the Cavs) that needed scoring wherever it could get it. Though Hood accrued 0.0 win shares this season with Cleveland, that in itself is an accomplishment as the Cavs’ defense this year has been widely regarded as one of the worst in NBA history.
That’s no slight against Hood, however, who has proven himself to be a capable perimeter defender in his five-year career. Despite some miles on the tires, Hood is still only 26 and brings the vaunted three-and-D skill set that every team is looking for in the modern NBA.
With Kent Bazemore back for only one more season this year, the Hawks might look to offload his deal via trade this offseason and Hood could serve as a ready-made replacement should he sign with the Atlanta Hawks.
Though his raw production has suffered, Hood’s efficiency is among the best its best season during his time in Portland – with a career-high in field goal percentage (45.2%) and a near career-high in true shooting percentage (54.9%).