Rodney Hood of the Cleveland Cavaliers believes his best days are ahead of him, and the 26-year-old guard is hoping to prove that by beating his old team, the Utah Jazz.
“It’s been some tough times and it’s been some great times, but it’s really made me better for the long haul,” Hood said to Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News. “I think my best days are ahead of me.”
Hood was traded to the Cavs last season at the trade deadline, but he’s still close with his former teammates. There won’t be any bad blood on Friday, but Hood would love to beat his old team.
Hood’s time with Cleveland has been up and down. He’s playing well this season, but he had his struggles after first arriving in Cleveland. He fell out of the rotation entirely when the Cavs played the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
But Hood got another chance in Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals and provided solid minutes for the Cavs. The shooting guard’s performance wasn’t enough to help Cleveland overcome the juggernaut Golden State Warriors, but it did show that Hood could find success in Cleveland.
Over the summer, Hood signed a one-year qualifying offer worth just over $3 million. If he’s right, and his best days are ahead of him, he’ll hope to cash in next summer with a multi-year deal somewhere. Hood is a scorer who can provide solid minutes off the bench or as a starter.