Rodney Hood, Portland Trail Blazers (photo by Frenchieinportland, via Wikimedia)
A few months back, I wrote an article about the impending trade deadline. I thought part of the Portland Trail Blazers’ reason to re-sign Rodney Hood was to maintain a movable salary to help in potential trades. When he’s on his game, Hood is a valuable long-range shooter and defender.
Back when the Portland Trail Blazers traded for Rodney Hood near the 2019 deadline, I thought they took a swing and brought in the exact kind of bench help the team sorely lacked. A solid three-point shooter with the size and skillset to back down smaller players and create his own shot.
It didn’t take long for the swingman to buy into the Blazers’ culture. He seemed like the perfect fit for head coach Terry Stotts’ system. Hood had some big games and hit some big shots (who can forget that three-point shot at the end of the quadruple overtime game against Denver?).
He was a big part of Portland’s run to the Western Conference finals, averaging 23.3 minutes and 9.9 points-per-game. For all intents and purposes, the five-year NBA veteran looked like a piece to push the team toward contender status.
Hood appreciated the team and city so much that he took a “home town” discount to stay with the Blazers as a free agent later that year. His ability to play either wing position and defend earned him an opportunity to move into Portland’s starting lineup. This was a chance for Hood to utilize his skillset and take the pressure off the rest of the starters.
Despite Portland’s multitude of injuries, Hood thrived in his new role. He averaged 11.0 points on 50.6 percent from the field, including 49.3 percent from three-point range, while being one of the team’s better defenders. However, when it rains, it pours, and in the Pacific Northwest, we are way too familiar with rain. The injury bug eventually bit Rodney Hood. An Achilles tear ended his season after only 21 games.
As a result of all the injuries, Blazers coach Terry Stotts and his staff did their best Macgyver impression as they tried to build helicopters and disarm nuclear weapons with paper clips and chewing gum. The team was running out of ideas when they discovered they had a diamond in the rough all along in Gary Trent Jr. Additionally, Carmelo Anthony proved he still had some gas left in the tank.
Trent and Anthony, along with Damian Lillard, playing out of his mind, helped keep the team within striking distance of the playoffs. The COVID-19 break gave enough time for center Jusuf Nurkic and power forward Zach Collins to return from their respective injuries. As a result, the Portland Trail Blazers made one final push in the bubble to make the playoffs. All the while, Rodney Hood, who was still recovering, watched from home.
After an impressive run in the bubble followed by a first-round playoff exit against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers, Portland entered the offseason on some positive notes. For example, the Blazers discovered the untapped potential of Trent. On the negative side, the L.A. series exposed some limitations and areas to improve.
Enter the re-signing of Rodney Hood, part two, last November. Some considered the move to be risky, considering the question marks surrounding his ability to return to form after an injury that has ended several careers. Not only was he re-signed, but Hood also got a big raise.
His once much-needed skillset became moot with the emergence of Trent Jr and his steady three-point shooting. Not to mention Melo, with his ability to back down smaller defenders and create his own shot. Where was a recovering Hood going to get his minutes on a deep Portland Trail Blazers roster?
I don’t think the Blazers’ intention was for Hood to actually regain those minutes. There was a bit of optimism that Hood could carve out a new role if he returned to form. But ultimately, the new contract was a reward for taking a pay-cut to stay with Portland the previous offseason.
Another intent of a bigger contract was to use him as a salary filler asset. As a team that is over the cap, Portland could trade his $10M salary for a similar contract.
This does not mean that the team doesn’t value Rodney. I think he’s actually quite appreciated by his teammates and the passionate fanbase. With his slow return from injury, struggles to get back to pre-injury production, and with his contract becoming movable as of March 3rd, it’s time to thank Hood for his efforts with the team and look at how his contract can be moved to help strengthen team weaknesses.
Do you think the Portland Trail Blazers should trade Rodney Hood? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.