Utah Jazz: J-Notes staffers evaluate every NBA trade deadline deal
By Ryan Aston
Rodney Hood for Jae Crowder
TO CAVALIERS: Rodney Hood, George Hill. TO JAZZ: Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose. TO KINGS: Joe Johnson, Iman Shumpert, 2020 second-round pick.
Woodcox: I’ve already given my thoughts in detail on the Crowder-Hood exchange, so I’ll forego commenting on that here and just say that I think George Hill will be great in Cleveland. They’ve needed a complementary point guard to pair with LeBron who doesn’t need the ball constantly to be effective and they found the perfect one, especially since he’s shooting over 45 percent from three.
Thorpe: Part two of the mid-season Cleveland makeover. I actually really like this move for all parties. The reports that there were 15-plus teams had interest in Rodney may have given me hope for a little more, but the more I think about this trade the more it makes sense. Utah got a great system guy they’ve wanted for a while now and keeps offseason flexibility. I think Rodney and George Hill are just the kind of players that should thrive next to Lebron. I’m not convinced this makes them favorites to challenge Golden State or Houston or even better than Boston or Toronto. Either way, it’ll be fun to see how Hood continues to play in a new system.
Aston: I’ll say this about Rodney Hood — he didn’t deserve the flak he was getting from Jazz fans this season. We have to remember that he was a late first-round pick who vastly outperformed his draft position. He also helped the team win a lot of games when he was healthy. As for Crowder and the Jazz, this deal was a godsend. Beantown Crowder is back and the Jazz are on a march toward postseason play. Good on Iso Joe for getting on with a contender, too.
Padmore: The biggest winner here has got to be Cleveland. They finally get their point guard in George Hill and Rodney Hood will be a huge addition. Jae Crowder seems to be a good fit in Utah, while the Kings simply wanted a draft pick (and to rid themselves of Hill’s deal).
Keeffer: As much as I hated having to part ways with Hood, I think it was the right move by the Jazz. The Jazz must have expected Rodney to be able to go out and get 18 million a year, and they did not want to have to match that. If they had kept him, I imagine they would’ve matched almost any offer, because you never want to lose a player for nothing. Add in his injury history, and it just seemed like the right time to part ways. I think Crowder will be the perfect fit for the Jazz as well. His best years were with Boston, and I imagine Quin Snyder can get similar production out of him. The Cavs are also big winners in this trade. They now have an exciting young piece, who, when healthy, has the potential to be an elite scorer. They also found themselves a point guard who can work effectively without the ball in his hands (you’re welcome, LeBron), and can improve their lackluster defense.
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