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Portland Trail Blazers: Setting 3 goals for Rodney Hood next season

By Austin Carroll

PORTLAND, OREGON - MAY 09: Rodney Hood #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts after hitting a shot in the second half of Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets at Moda Center on May 09, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. The Blazers won 119-108. 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. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MAY 09: Rodney Hood #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts after hitting a shot in the second half of Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets at Moda Center on May 09, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. The Blazers won 119-108. 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. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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After re-upping with the Portland Trail Blazers on a discounted deal, many fans have high hopes for Rodney Hood entering next season’s championship chase.

The Portland Trail Blazers will be counting on Rodney Hood to be their x-factor next season. Opposing defenses will come prepared for Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum on any given night, but Hood is the final piece for an offensive trifecta that can’t be stopped.

Hood has had nothing but good things to say about Portland since arriving in town. Playing comfortable and wish an established chemistry with his teammates, now is the perfect time and opportunity for him to go all out and prove he’s worth the big bucks. The Blazers will be counting on it.

Here’s three goals Rodney Hood should be setting for himself entering the 2019-20 campaign.

1. Become the Blazers third option on offense

If you were to look at Hood’s box score stats from last year, you may not be too impressed, and for good reason. 9.6 points per game with a 49.8 effective field goal percentage is nothing to get too riled up over. However, those of you that watched Hood in action last year and over the course of his career know he’s capable of so much more.

In 2017, Rodney averaged 16.8 points per game while shooting 38.9 percent from deep in 39 games with the Jazz. Only in 12 of those games did he start. That’s the version of Hood the Portland Trail Blazers are going to need next year, as they’ll depend on Hood to make the jump from fifth on the roster in points per game to becoming the third option behind Dame and CJ.

2. Accept a role off the bench

Speaking of only being a spot starter in Utah, that’s the role where Hood would serve Portland best. There’s no room for an offensively minded wing that’s a liability on defense next to Lillard and McCollum, they already contribute enough firepower. Kent Bazemore is a more skilled defender and Mario Hezonja has a stronger frame that can handle powerful forwards.

Instead, Hood would make the perfect weapon off the bench, akin to other famous Western Conference sixth men Manu Ginobli and Lou Williams. Anthony Tolliver and Pau Gasol certainly won’t be creating their own shots off the bench, and Anfernee Simons and Gary Trent Jr. could certainly use a veteran presence on the court to help transition into a larger role with the team.

3. Handle a higher workload

Hood has only played in 75 percent or more of his games in a season in just two of five years in the league. The Blazers are already struggling with injuries and will require Hood to remain healthy if they want to hold a high seed in the NBA Playoffs.

Despite playing 24.4 minutes per game in Portland, Hood only had a usage percentage of 16.3. It receded even further to 16.0 percent during the playoffs. He is going to need to become more assertive next season if the Blazers can count on him to be an offensive spark plug. His usage skyrocketed to 27.3 percent with Utah in 2017, so he’s certainly capable of it. Now the only thing left to do is help Hood usher his confidence back in as a deadly shot creator.

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If he can accomplish these three tasks, the Portland Trail Blazers will be a far more dangerous team than anyone seems to be accounting for. And that’s just how they’d prefer it.