Portland Trail Blazers: Why the return of Rodney Hood is key for 2021

Portland Trail Blazers wing Rodney Hood will return when the NBA season begins at the end of the year. Why is the 6-year shooter so important?

Portland Trail Blazers wing Rodney Hood talked with media recently, saying that his rehab was going well and that he would be ready to return when the 2021 season commenced.

The 27-year-old suffered a devastating Achilles tendon tear in 2019. This was a massive blow for the Blazers as Hood was having one of his best starts to an NBA season through the first 21 games.

In the critical position of small forward where most teams don’t have a lot of depth, Hood is a top-tier NBA shooter with elite size.

After early success on his rookie contract with the Utah Jazz, Hood struggled to make an impact on the Cleveland Cavaliers, before settling with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2019 season.

He made massive shots in the epic second-round series against the Denver Nuggets last year and then was prioritized as a key free agent for the Blazers in the 2019 summer.

Hood signed a two-year deal with a player option on the second-year. Though his injury was a massive blow to himself and the team, that he will return at the beginning of the 2021 season is a positive.

Why is Rodney Hood key to the Portland Trail Blazers?

Shooting ability

The Blazers have shooters up and down the roster, but Hood is the only one with elite NBA size. At six-foot-eight, he can isolate in the pinch post, out on the wing or above the break.

He can shoot over smaller wing defenders, or dribble by them and pull up. Because Hood’s game isn’t predicated on athleticism, this injury shouldn’t impact his game heavily.

This season before he was injured, shot 43 percent from midrange, then 50 percent from three. Both elite numbers. Because of his size and shiftiness off the dribble, he creates massive mismatches for opposition defenses. You can’t put a regular wing defender on him because of his size. And because he is so quick, if you put a power forward on him, he can blow by them or pullup for a jumper.

Though Hood’s shooting numbers have been up and down because of his Cavs years, he is a 37.6 percent three-point shooter for his career. Impressive numbers.

His contract

Hood’s $11.7 million contract over two years will be one of the best value contracts in the league if he can return to the form that he showed in 2019/20.

As the Blazers are about to have the double hit of contract extensions to Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, cheap contracts like Hood’s will be essential when trying to contend in a stacked Western Conference.

Hood would probably have opted out in this off-season if it wasn’t for his injury, so if he returns to full health, his $6 million option is a bargain. The wing position is a tough one to fill; there are very few players of his size who can create their own shot.

Also, after the 2021 season, the Blazers will get Hood’s bird rights. This means that they can go over the cap to re-sign him. A team automatically gets bird rights on a player if they spend three years with them, or if they come in on a trade and the total time on that contract is three years.

Playoff experience

Though Hood hasn’t played a ton of playoff basketball, he has experienced the postseason with three different franchises. His 44 games of experience are significant when you compare to his Blazer teammates. Hood went to the finals with the Cavs and LeBron James and even had one nice 15-point game in the finals when his spark got them close to an upset win.

Hood was influential in the Blazers making the conference finals last year, and he can be part of a team that hopefully can repeat this next season.

Hood is a vital component of a Blazers team that consistently has one of the top offenses in the league. Fans can look forward to seeing him back in the fold when the Blazers return in 2021.