The Kings were unable to secure Zach LaVine‘s services this weekend, with the Bulls officially matching Sacramento’s four-year offer sheet to the guard on Sunday. However, the Kings may still be considering another move on the restricted free agent market.
League sources tell Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee that Sacramento has shown interest in Cavaliers RFA Rodney Hood, though Jones cautions that talks haven’t progressed to the point where an offer sheet is imminent.
As Jones notes, the Kings are close to having a full roster, but still have approximately $19.5MM in cap room and remain on the lookout for a small forward. As such, it might make sense for the team to make an aggressive play for someone like Hood, a swingman who is young enough that he could continue to develop along with the rest of Sacramento’s young roster.
Hood, 25, spent his first three and a half seasons in Utah before being sent to Cleveland in a deadline-day trade in February. The former first-round pick struggled with the Cavs, but posted solid overall numbers in 60 regular season games in 2017/18, averaging 14.7 PPG on .429/.381/.860 shooting.
The Cavaliers have $106MM+ in guaranteed salaries on their books so far for 10 players, and certainly won’t want to go back into tax territory this season, so they may not match an aggressive offer for Hood.
If the Kings don’t make a play for Hood or another free agent, they’ll likely turn to the trade market as they look to add a small forward and use their remaining cap room to absorb an unwanted contract or two and pick up extra assets.
They should offer him 4 years/$78M
I just threw up in my mouth. Rodney Hood for $19.5/yr is just asinine. With that said, it’s a total Vlade move and I wouldn’t be surprised
Lol that is the appropriate response
From the Cavs perspective, the one advantage they have, is Gilbert’s money and his willingness to spend money. When they made that trade the narrative was that they were looking to change the chemistry in the locker room, get more athletic, maintain competitiveness that season and to have future young assets for the future. They saw Hood, a SF/SG, as a long term asset they would want. They should resign Hood, to a reasonable contract, even if it’s a slight overpay (5/$75). If interested in staying out of the lux tax then move Love and Korver.
ESPN “Moves for all 30 teams” and Basketball Insiders show the Cavs at $110MM+ (including Colin Sexton’s salary). The ESPN article said to sign Hood it would probably put the Cavs over the salary cap. I think they have 2 more players to sign. I hope Hood goes to Sacramento. He fit well with Utah, but not with Cleveland. Is Chicago still interested? I read if they waive Noah Vonleh and David Nwaba, they’d have $20MM in cap space? I like Hood. I hope he doesn’t have to go back to Cleveland. That didn’t go well. I think Tyreke Evans is comparable and got $12.5MM.
Make that signing Hood would put the Cavs over the luxury tax. ESPN “moves for all 30 teams” has a lot in it.
Luke: Do you think Gilbert will keep spending into the luxury tax with LeBron gone?
I see your $106MM doesn’t include Kendrick Perkins or Okara White.
If he thinks they can contend for a title, sure. I doubt he’d do it for the current group.
The only reason I could see Gilbert going over the lux tax is if it’s a trade that has young assets attached and is a short-term lux tax hit. Meaning whomever they acquire has to be a high impact young player or a player on a soon-to-be-expired contract we take with picks.
ex… These are not trade proposals and more trade scenarios…
Deng, Hart and a 1st rnd pick for Korver and Smith.
Lakers: Get an elite shooter in Korver. Clears Deng’s 2019-20 $18 mil of their books.
Cavs take on Deng’s $18 mil but get a young cheap high end talent in Hart for 3 years and can possibly give him his first non-rookie contract. Deng’s contract becomes easier to move in it’s last year 2019-20.
OR
Korver, Hill and a 1st rnd pick for Wiggins.
T-Wolves can use Korver immediately, use Hill as a back up PG behind Teague and maybe move his expiring contract later in the year and gain a likely top 15 pick in the draft. They change the culture of the locker room as it’s reported he clashed with Butler (whom the T-Wolves want to extend). Most importantly they save $30 mil per year for the next 5 years. They can spread that out to extend Butler and KAT and still have plenty of money to improve the team otherwise or bring in a FA.
Cavs would get a 23 year old young talent with high upside under control for 5 years and can build a team around.
Gilbert will not take Luol Deng. The only player the Timberwolves would be interested in is Love, and yesterday’s article said he won’t be available until the trading deadline. The Plain Dealer had a lot of Cav fans saying trades they’d like to see the Cavs make. Problem is they have to benefit both sides. Example: Cav fans wanted Kemba Walker. Charlotte wanted an all star in return as well as taking on a bad contract. The Cavs don’t have the assets other teams want, and I’m not the first to say it. Walker and Kupchak have now spoken and Walker is staying. See NBA.com
If the trade is made for Kawhi, Hart and 1st round picks will definitely have to be used.
Spurs rumors do not mention Hart, and Kawhi rumors do not include Lakers. But that could change & is a point.
The Spurs have asked for Ingram, Hart, Kuzma, 2 1st round picks, and the right to swap 2 1st round picks, same for Philadelphia, they want 2 or 3 players, 2 or 3 picks, and the right to swap 2 1st rounders. They say the Spurs aren’t budging. It’s been all over the news for over a week now.
Walker is not important now; the Cavs just drafted one.
I like the Smith/Korver for Hart/Deng/r1. The Lakers need shooting and capspace and James gets an associate or two. Smith’s contract has some possible interesting financial manipulations also.
For CLE that is like buying Hart and a r1 for about $10mil., an older shooter, and the advantage of those manipulations.
Those manipulations are a tradable asset, not a blockage to trading.
Trust me. Hart is not available. Until Kawhi gets traded Hart and the Lakers 1st picks don’t move. Google Kawhi Leonard and what the Spurs are asking for. If you ask Luke, I think it’s on here too.
I’m well-aware of what the Spurs are reportedly asking for. I didn’t say the trade WOULD happen, but I did say it was an example of how Gilbert/Cavs can re-purpose bad debt (sunken money in Smith, Hill, etc), take on additional short-term debt (2018-19 money would be offset so in the case of Deng his 2019-20 money is the only “additional” money on the books) and get young talent in return. They would also have until the end of the 2018-19 season to get rid of Deng and since his contract would then be a 1 year expiring one, it would be even easier to move him and avoid lux tax risk.
Facts are facts. Cavs have never been able to draw top FA to Cleveland BEFORE LBJ returned having proven to others that he can win. BEFORE he left to go to Miami, he tried hard to recruit Bosh, Wade and other FA to join him in Cleveland. So in-order to build a championship contender the Cavs must collect draft picks and young assets and build a young and talented team via drafts and trades and hope that at some point a high impact FA will see what LBJ saw the summer of 2014, and that was a team with young talent already on the roster, a future #1 overall pick, salary cap space and ownership willing to spend whatever to build a championship caliber team.
Keep in mind that the Cavs acquired Kyrie Irving with the #1 overall pick that came from the Los Angeles Clippers as a future 1st rounder in exchange for them accepting Baron Davis and his 2/$26 mil remaining contract after coming off his awful season where he shot 40%/27% and was seen as a malcontent. They also sent Mo Williams expiring contract to the Clippers. Same exact situation as suggested in a Deng deal to net a future asset and sending a expiring contract for NBA trade rules purposes. Only difference is that Deng has no on-court value at all, but Davis wasn’t acquired for his on-court value either.
Please stop sighting what “Cavs say”. They will never come out and admit that they are actively shopping Love. It would comprise their leverage. I remember them saying they weren’t going to trade Andrew Wiggins or Kyrie Irving too.
Secondly, please don’t speak of what “fans” want. Might be some for and some against and there’s no medium that’s going to be a fair representation of all “fans” (not that what fans what factors into what the Cavs FO might prefer).
Also, who knows whether or not Gilbert will take on Deng’s contract. He might absolutely agree to it if he can offset it with bad expiring contract is being sent AND, most importantly, he could get a young controllable NBA asset (Hart for 3 years) or draft picks.
We literally have just seen both scenarios with Mozgov’s current contract. The Brooklyn Nets landed D’Angelo Russell for accepting Mozgov’s contract. They then traded Mozgov to the Hornets for two 2nd round picks. It happens often in the NBA. Bad contracts have value and good GM’s know how to use them.
It didn’t go well because he didn’t fit in the Lebron offense, he isn’t a jump shooter like you need with LBJ. Cavs will match any reasonable offer, he’s in their future plans.
The question is, can Hood fit in on the Cavs not that LBJ there is no longer there. And that’s not a knock on either LBJ nor Hood.
I can’t believe how difficult “fans” make like. It’s not so difficult to understand. The Cavs should absolutely retain Hood as long as it’s not a severe overpay. 4/$56 is fine with me.
The question is the luxury tax part. If Chicago or Sacramento were to pay Hood in the range of $15MM, like the ESPN article says, it would likely to put the Cavs in the luxury tax again. It’s not known if Gilbert wants to continue paying the luxury tax with LeBron gone. Everybody knows Hood is a good player, he came from Duke.
Im not convinced Hood is actually a good player. He’ll be 26 at the start of the season and seems to have plateaued as an average player. But where he played college ball shouldn’t have anything to do with it. I mean Jah played at Duke…
42/37/86 states he’s a talented player. Now whether he can become a star is a question only time can tell. However, Altman stated he wanted to get back young assets that could help last year and for the future. I can’t see him making that trade with Utah and NOT seeing Hood as the key player that fit his intent. He knew he was a URFA and I’m sure he wants to bring him back.
I can’t continue this convo because the format for this app doesn’t work well at all on android. But 42% isnt anything to write home about and 37% from 3 is league average
You can’t just keep saying things that are untrue. 37% is considered about average. 40% and above is considered elite. Hood is a volume shooter, granted. But that can be mitigated with better shot selection, better team spacing and a good PG that gives you the ball where your most confident. With LBJ gone there should be better ball movement because it’ll be less ISO play or drive and kick it out for a 3. All players will probably feel a little more involved in the game and that’s not a knock on LBJ at all. It’s just about playing to the strengths you have right now.
Gilbert has to think like he’s the owner of the NY Yanks and money can be used to leverage building a good team. Obviously there’s a salary cap in the NBA. But not all owners are willing to go into the lux tap to improve their teams. Even some teams on the cusp of being real title contenders don’t make moves to help themselves if it takes into the lux tax territory. The key is for it to be a short-term tax violation. Besides, they CAN move other players who aren’t long-term fits to get under the cap.
But Cavs need talent and Hood is very talented.
Gilbert is looking to next summer when he can dump the bad contracts, have cap space, and hopefully still have their 1st round pick. I looked up all the Cavs rosters since 2000 on Real GM. LeBron is the only 1st tier free agent the Cavs have been able to sign, so I’d expect the Cavs will be looking at tier 2 free agents next summer, and bite the bullet this year.
You can’t keep claiming to know what Gilbert (hopefully Altman’s plan with Gilbert’s blessing) is. Still, if they were to acquire Deng’s contract, which would be attached to a young player or 1st rnd pick, he still has until the end of the season to trade him again without it effecting the lux tax. They can also buy him out or stretch the last year. It’s all about using his $$$$ and willingness to go over the cap to, in effect, purchase young players already under contract elsewhere or draft picks.
Hood fits with CLE best, not with SAC or CHI, because he does best at G not F.
There are ways available to avoid the lux tax and CLE has all year to do it. It’s not applied until the end of the season 2019.
Gilbert will match. GuruGary’s 4/$78mil though, IDK! That may be the winner. For SAC, not much better than Shumpert.
Hill is guaranteed for $1MM and J.R. for $3.8MM in 2020. It is unlikely Gilbert will stretch them because of it. Chicago and Sacramento both need small forwards (Chicago has Denzell Valentine and Chandler Hutchinson. In Sacramento Hood is better than Justin Jackson). Hood can play both positions, see Utah. The Cavs will have J.R., Korver, and maybe Clarkson at shooting guard. They would need Hood at small forward. See ESPN “Moves all 30 teams can still make” for good accurate information.
You say consult espn, but espn lists only JRSmith at the 2 not Korver and Clarkson. All are best as reserves. Your points, such as they are, are yours.
Hood’s best season at Utah was at the 2, as was his comeback in the finals. He is more decisive in the middle than near the baseline.
Going into or out of the luxury tax is always temporary until the day of their last game. There’s no reason to be scared of it now, especially for the creator of rocket mortgages and with playoff monies.
Clarkson played at both guard positions for the Lakers. Hood played at both positions for Utah. The main point is Chicago and Sacramento are fits for cash. Moving Cavs players will be difficult is frequently is mentioned in the media. I don’t care about your criticism. I have made several tips to Luke and his writers about articles I’ve seen, and I’m glad they are using them. Like I said if I ever see Kawhi being traded, I’ll immediately let Luke know. For ESPN, it said if the Cavs re sign Hood, they’ll likely go into the luxury tax. Neither you or I know what Gilbert is thinking right now.
He’s thinking he’s not going to be run off of players he invested in. And that if he does get into the luxury tax, he wants to get back out of it.
x%sure I was making fun of Sacramento for the Lavine offer sheet. I wouldn’t give Hood 4/$40M. I just don’t think he’s very good. About to turn 26 and he’s disappeared in the playoffs 2 years in a row
He’s better than what Chicago and Sacramento already have. He is comparable to Tyreke Evans, so I don’t think asking $12.5MM is out of the question.
He’s not better than Bogdan Bogdanovic
Sacramento played Utah, they know what he can do. He is a fit, and they have the cap space. I do hope the Bulls can sign him. The Cavs matching would take away cap space they need next summer.
Wow. You just compared Shump to Hood? Shump has been in the league for 7 years and has never distinguished himself as a good shooter (40 FG % and 34% 3pt) or a good scorer (10 pts per 36 min). Hood has already demonstrated his shooting/scoring ability (42%/37% and 17 pts per 36 minutes) and the thought is, he has having the best year of his career as a starter in Utah and MAYBE with more PT and coaching might have more upside to extract.
Hood does have a talent advantage.
But those numbers for Hood are not much of an improvement, and he was always expected to be a shooter when he came onto the court.
Shumpert instead was often purposed for defense, and rarely had a green light with James on the court.
Really it comes down to health for both.
I do look forward to a Hood-Osman wing duo.
I like Hood. He is a complete player, with a team oriented game (once he makes it onto the court). If he’s kept at the 2, he’ll grade out as plus player defensively. On offense, he’s a plus shooter, with a true jump shot, who avoids volume shooting. His other offensive skills are about baseline level for a 2; he can handle and move the ball, and get his own shot at times, although not create for others.
Until Donavan Mitchell took off last year, Hood was destined to be a fixture as the starting 2 on some good Utah teams. The biggest red flag is he didn’t respond well to losing his starting job to Mitchell. That, plus declining to enter the game in the playoffs with Cleveland. He’s an older 4 year player, and not an elite athlete by NBA standards, so I wouldn’t expect much upside from here, but I’m not really sure much is needed.
If I were the Cavs, I would definitely try to resign him. I can’t price it, but nothing he gets is going to cause them to finish the season as a taxpayer – unless they otherwise want to.
If I am Cleveland I would let him go, don’t think is a good player at all, bad attitude, bad team mate… I don’t know I only see negatives with this guy. Get rid.
He is flawed. Maybe, the right sort of challenge for Lue.