Clippers In Review: Don’t forget about Rodney Hood

Welcome to Clippers In Review, where we’ll be recapping the season for every player that ended the season in Los Angeles. Now, we’ll be reviewing Rodney Hood, who was acquired in the Serge Ibaka trade with the Bucks.

Rodney Hood is a type of player that many have heard about, but might not know where he is at today. Now, his name comes up more often as an example of “random NBA players” rather than the dangerous scorer he was just a few years ago.

Acquired with Semi Ojeyele from the Bucks in exchange for Serge Ibaka, Hood was clearly just a trade piece, as that trade did more to ease the finances of the Clippers than to add basketball talent to the roster. While he does offer a skillset that some teams would certainly benefit from, the wing-heavy Clippers simply did not have enough room in the rotation to work him in. Skilled shooters like Luke Kennard and Norman Powell took up most of that room, while versatile 3-and-D wings like Robert Covington and Nico Batum squeezed out any playing time left for Hood.

It’s unfortunate because he definitely has a chance to revitalize his career in the way that Batum and Covington did in their time with the Clippers—Hood could very well have been the next diamond in the rough for the team had it not been for timing and injuries.

With Hood not under contract for the 2022-23 season, it’s unlikely that he will be retained by the Clippers. Instead, he would likely opt to join another team that might be offering a larger role (and perhaps a larger paycheck) for the 29-year old Hood to take advantage of.