Rodney Hood was a key part of Utah’s perimeter attack last season, averaging 12.7 points a game, shooting 37.1 percent from three, and working well as both a spot-up shooter and a guy who can handle the ball on the pick-and-roll and score.
Now with Gordon Hayward in Boston, Hood — a tall 6'8" shooting guard — is going to be asked to do a lot more.
Which is why the Jazz have opened contract extension talks with him, reports Tony Jones at the Salt Lake Tribune.
The two sides have had preliminary conversations as the Jazz hope Hood can become their primary perimeter scorer this season after Gordon Hayward left for the Boston Celtics. Another meeting is expected to occur in the next few weeks, according to league sources.
Hood, who will enter his fourth season in the league, is eligible for a rookie scale contract extension, with Oct. 16 the deadline to reach an agreement.
If the two sides do not reach a deal by Oct. 16, the deadline, then Hood becomes a restricted free agent next summer.
Of course, the question is price. Hood is a solid two guard but doesn’t quite project to be an All-Star. He’s not a max guy, but he is a quality starter and more will be asked of him now. Four years, $60 million? Maybe a little more? Would Hood take that, or will he bet on himself and let the market set his price next summer (which is a concern because it’s expected to be a tight market).
The Jazz are a stable and fair organization, but they are not going to overpay. We’ll see if they can get a deal done.