Rodney Hood was expected to be a cornerstone for the Utah Jazz post-Gordon Hayward, but he may be on his way out of the Beehive State before too long.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reported on Friday that there is a “growing belief” around the league that the Jazz could trade Hood before the Feb. 8 deadline. Stein also notes that multiple teams have expressed interest in him.
Hood, 25, is averaging a career-high 16.7 points per game for the Jazz this season but has been limited to 35 games due to injury, a recurring theme for him throughout his career so far. He was thought to be a focal point of their gameplan moving forward, but the emergence of star rookie Donovan Mitchell and their 18-26 record on the year may be bringing about a shift in strategy.
We know at least one notable team that is pursing roster upgrades seemingly anywhere that they can get them, and a versatile wing scorer like Hood would be yet another intriguing chess piece on the trade table.
