The Portland Trail Blazers are rolling the dice on Rodney Hood.
The Portland Trail Blazers bought low on Rodney Hood after an up-and-down stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he rewarded that trust by showing he can be an efficient scorer when called upon. While Portland trading for Enes Kanter and Robert Covington might’ve led some to believe Hood was gone, all signs point to the former Duke star returning to the Moda Center for the 2020-21 season.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that the Blazers are going to re-sign Hood, who sustained a concerning Achilles injury, to a two-year contract that could be worth up to $21 million. The second year of this contract is non-guaranteed.
Rodney Hood has a lot to prove after his injury
After a solid, if uninspiring, start to his NBA career with the Utah Jazz, Hood was traded to Cleveland, where he saw his stock take a nosedive after some poor postseason performances. Hood has managed to put that behind him in Portland, shooting 47 percent from the field in 48 games while averaging 10.2 points per game.
Hood is a big wild card right now, as he tore his Achilles in December 2019. Hood is a solid spot-up shooter, but the verticality and explosion in his game might be sapped just a bit following this injury. However, if he is able to retain his smooth jumper, this deal looks like a steal for the Blazers.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum will dictate how things run in Portland, and the front office has decided to aid them in that pursuit by signing perfect complementary pieces. Be it as a starter or as a standout sixth man, Hood’s ability to create his own shot, get to the rim and stroke from deep, Hood appears to found a home as a tertiary gunner in the Pacific Northwest.
