The timetable for Rodney Hood’s return from injury remains unknown. When he does suit up, does he become a long-term starter for the Portland Trail Blazers?
When Rodney Hood collapsed with a torn Achilles early last December, he lost his opportunity to show the Portland Trail Blazers what he could do in a complete 82 game season.
By the time he is healthy and the league is able to return to play, he will likely be in the midst of his second and final season of a two-year, $12 million dollar contract, after signing with Portland last June.
At the time, Hood’s return to the franchise offered nothing but excitement and potential. The small forward had seemingly revitalised his career since arriving in Rip City and appeared to be the perfect offensive accent to the Damian Lillard/CJ McCollum tandem.
As Blazer fans wait for both the league and Hood’s return, the franchise is faced with looming questions that could determine the 27-year-old’s long term role within the franchise.
This year was supposed to be the organisation’s first chance to study Hood’s play for a full season and as a starter. After only suiting up for 48 games since joining Portland 14 months ago, the Blazers are left with a limited amount of playing time to study. That said, there are numerous aspects to his game that clearly benefitted the Blazers.
The most obvious perk of starting Hood is his ability to efficiently drain catch-and-shoot and pull up jumpers. Maurice Harkless and Nicolas Batum, Portland’s two most recent starting small forwards, both could hit outside shots, but not to Hood’s ability. As we saw in the infamous 4OT Game Three of last year’s semifinals, Hood can rise to the occasion with confidence.
Before his injury, Hood was shooting at 50.6 percent from the field, along with an astounding 49.3 percent from beyond the arc. While we will never know what could have been, Hood was on his way to being one of the league’s highest percentage three-point shooters for the season.
Hood’s defense may have received an unforeseen upgrade following his injury, a factor that could be crucial in determining his future role on the team. Back in early March, a piece by journalist Dwight Jaynes noted a coach referring to Hood as “Popeye,” due to his apparent gains from focusing on his upper body strength as his leg heals.
His current weight remains unknown, and there are still several months before he returns to action, making all predictions of his future physique entirely hypothetical. Still, if Hood returns to play with added strength, he may have eliminated one of his biggest weaknesses. At six-foot-eight, Hood has the height and wingspan to be a high level perimeter defender.
Unfortunately, his slight size has led to defensive miss matches throughout his entire career. On the night of his Achilles injury, 208 pound Hood had the difficult task of guarding 250 pound LeBron James. As of the start of the 2019-2020 season, the NBA had Hood ranked 190 in height overall and 325 in weight. If this dramatic gap can be lessened, it’s likely the Blazers would feel much more confident in starting Hood for the foreseeable future.
A great number of components could affect Hood’s long term presence in Portland, of which several will be addressed this offseason. The first revolves around Portland’s decisions in the upcoming draft. If the season is truly over, the NBA is faced with the difficult task of creating a fair lottery process without a finalised record to use.
Due to the Blazers’ 29-37 outing this year, it is likely their first round pick will be somewhere in the mid teens. If Portland was hoping to draft a small forward, this is a tricky place to be. Players like Deni Avdija and Isaac Okoro could be excellent selections, if not for the fact they will almost certainly be drafted before Portland can pick either up.
Assuming Portland does not find a way to trade up for a higher pick, any small forward they may land will likely require years of development, with no immediate chance of taking Hood’s starting spot.
The fate of Trevor Ariza may also provide fans with more insight into the future of Portland’s starting five. A mid-season pickup, Ariza has played with a veteran’s prowess, providing reliable 3-and-D play through his 21 games with the franchise.
Keeping both Hood and Ariza may seem redundant, but could work if Portland’s budget allows it. Ariza will be 35 at the start of the next season and could be a perfect backup in the position as his career and playing time wind down.
While Head Coach Terry Stotts tries to play Lillard and McCollum together when possible, there are several points in any given game where only one of the two will be on the court. Stotts could slot either in at the point guard spot, with Hood at the two and Ariza the three, and create a tall, defensive lineup whenever needed.
Rodney Hood’s injury was a major part of the sub par season Portland had been enduring prior to the league’s suspension.
Rip City seemed to have fallen in love with the soft-spoken 27-year-old after his 2019 playoff performance. While it was heartbreaking to see him go down to such a brutal injury, there is hope Hood can return and become an integral member of the Blazers for years to come.