Cleveland Cavaliers guard Rodney Hood has been in trade rumors throughout the season. Despite all the chatter, the five-year veteran still loves playing in Cleveland.
“As of right now, I’m part of the Cavs,” Hood said, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I love playing with this group. Until I get a phone call, I’m going to continue to be locked in with what we’ve got going here. I don’t want to veer off to something else, until I get that phone call.”
Hood seems to be enjoying his role in Cleveland as one of its go-to offensive options. He has started in all of his appearance so far with the Cavs this season, and he’s averaging 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in roughly 28 minutes of action per game.
Cleveland traded for Hood at the deadline last season, in the hopes that he could provide a spark off the bench for them in the postseason. However, he got lost in the shuffle and never really found his rhythm.
His subpar performance, especially in the playoffs, may have prompted the Cavs to consider including Hood in their fire sale of assets in an effort to tank away the season. They already began a couple of weeks ago, trading away veterans like George Hill and Kyle Korver.
Still, Hood is just 26 years old and is on an expiring deal. His skill set and ability to create shots gives contending teams another offensive option and makes his contract all the more appealing. Thus, it’s easy to see why the Cavs would want to get some value in return for the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter.
Nonetheless, Rodney Hood has the final say to veto any trade that involves him because of the structure of his contract. And if he continues to enjoy his role and his time in Cleveland, he might just opt stay put for the rest of the season.