Utah Jazz: Clock likely ticking on Rodney Hood’s time in Utah

Some recent developments have made it seem all the more likely that the Utah Jazz and Rodney Hood will part ways at the trade deadline.

As the trade deadline has drawn ever nearer, rumors and speculation have increased significantly as well. The Utah Jazz were always primed to be participants leading up to this year’s deadline, but in the final hours before it, one particular name has emerged above others as one of the most likely to be dealt. That’s none other than Rodney Hood.

Although Hood is having an overall solid season, it makes sense why the Jazz would be willing to part ways with him. He’s most suited for the shooting guard position which currently is occupied by rising star Donovan Mitchell. With that being the case and considering that Hood will be in for a significant pay raise this summer as a restricted free agent, it doesn’t quite make sense to fork over big bucks for him to largely play a bench role.

Not only that, but Hood is one of the most valuable pieces the Jazz have due to his scoring ability and the fact that any team that acquires him can keep him in free agency. Therefore, if Utah’s looking to free up the money that Hood would require moving forward to use on a greater positional need, then it makes sense to deal him for a potentially hefty return at the deadline.

And details from a recent piece by Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania make it seem all the more likely that such is exactly what is about to happen. The article is a great read for further insight on the situation surrounding Rodney Hood, but the following are the aspects that really stood out to me.

First of all, Shams mentions that not only are the Jazz actively listening to offers for him, but that Rodney is also “very open to a change of scenery.” This comes as little surprise based on Mitchell’s rise, some negative fan reactions to Hood of late and the trade rumors that have swirled about him.

He also touched on the fact that several teams have shown interest in Hood and that his skill set as a scorer, shooter and defender on the wing is an “increasingly pressing area of need” throughout the league. In other words, several teams are certainly interested in Rodney Hood and it’s quite possible that the Jazz are receiving an array of attractive offers.

The Salt Lake Tribune’s Tony Jones further backed up this assessment by stating that as many as 15 teams (half the league) have called the Jazz with interest in Rodney.

Between that many teams expressing interest, Hood being open to a change and the Jazz looking to deal him for something that makes a little more sense long term for the team, I’d say it’s a very safe bet that the clock is rapidly ticking down on Hood’s time with the Utah Jazz. When Utah hits the court tonight in Memphis, it could very well be the last time he suits up in a Jazz uniform.

But it appears that Rodney is gearing up for exactly that. In the aforementioned piece by Shams Charania, he included some great quotes from Hood describing his thoughts on the situation:

"“It’s been tough for me, it has been, but at the same time, my obligation is to have a job. For my family, for my loved ones, my priority is to have a job and perform. I’ve had great times in Utah, but regardless of where I’m playing, whether it’s there or somewhere else, I’m going to stay professional. I’m going to stick with it.”“My gut feeling is that I won’t be here by the deadline. I’ve enjoyed my time here, but I’ve felt isolated the past month and I would not be surprised if I was moved.”“People have told me to put things into perspective. It’s been tough for me to be in this situation, but it’s part of it. It’s part of the growing process. I just have to continue to get better and continue to learn. Whatever unfolds, I want people to know I stayed a pro and performed. I’m just looking to the future, playing in the playoffs and on a high level. Whatever happens, happens.”"

That middle segment seems to say it all to me – “My gut feeling is that I won’t be here by the deadline. I’ve enjoyed my time here, but I’ve felt isolated the past month and I would not be surprised if I was moved.”

The fact that Hood feels isolated, be it due to struggles with injuries, fan frustration, team success while he’s been out of action, playing second fiddle to Donovan Mitchell, or a combination of all those issues, makes it appear pretty clear that it might be time for a change for both him and the Jazz. Based on this new information, it seems all the more likely that Hood could very well be on his way to a new team by tomorrow afternoon.

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Quite frankly, if such ends up being the case, I wish Rodney Hood the absolute best. Sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what a player needs to blossom. And while there’s certainly been some disappointments regarding Hood and his time in Utah, there’s also no denying that he’s played a crucial role in the Jazz’s success as well.

Regardless of what happens at the deadline, hopefully he can take that success with him wherever he goes. In less than 24 hours, we’ll know exactly where it is that he’ll be playing for the remainder of the 2017-18 season.