Grades for all 30 teams this NBA offseason

With a lot of moving in this year's free agency, some teams made brilliant moves by signings or trades. In this part of the NBA season shows which General Managers put in a lot of work and research. In the offseason, we begin to form tiers of the General Managers and where they rank among their peers. Now it’s time to grade these organizations and GM’s on their moves. Some hit it out of the park, others hit a pop fly or struck out. So here are the grades:

Atlanta Hawks B-

Players added: Dwight Howard

Players Lost: Al Horford

Boston Celtics A

Players added:Al Horford

Players lost: Evan Turner

Brooklyn Nets C+

Players added: Trevor Booker, Jeremy Lin, Tyler Johnson (potentially)

Players lost: Thaddeus Young, Jarrett Jack

Charlotte Hornets C-

Players added: Ramon Sessions, Roy Hibbert, Marco Belinelli, Brian Roberts

Players lost: Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee, Jeremy Lin

Chicago Bulls B-

Players added: Robin Lopez, Rajon Rondo, Jerian Grant, Dwyane Wade

Players lost: Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol, E'twaun Moore, Justin Holiday, Mike Dunleavy

Cleveland Cavaliers B

Players added: Mike Dunleavy

Players lost: Matthew Dellavedova, Timothy Mozgov

Dallas Mavericks C+

Players added:Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Seth Curry

Players lost: Zaza Pachulia, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Evans, Javale Mcgee

Denver Nuggets C

Players added:

Players lost: D.j Augustin

Detroit Pistons B+

Players added: Jon Leuer, Ish Smith, Cameron Bairstow, Boban Marjanovic

Players lost: Anthony Tolliver, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jodie Meeks

Golden State Warriors A+

Players added: Kevin Durant, Zaza Pachulia, David West

Players lost: Andrew Bogut, Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, Leandro Barbosa, Marreese Speights, Brandon Rush

Houston Rockets D

Players added: Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, Nene

Players lost: Dwight Howard

Indiana Pacers B-

Players added: Jeff Teague, Al Jefferson, Jeremy Evans, Thaddeus Young

Players lost: George Hill, Solomon Hill, Ian Mahinmi

LA Clippers D+

Players added: Marreese Speights

Players lost: Cole Aldrich, Jeff Green

LA Lakers C+

Players added: Luol Deng, Timothy Mozgov, Jose Calderon

Players lost: Roy Hibbert, Kobe Bryant

Memphis Grizzlies B+

Players added: James Ennis, Chandler Parsons

Players lost: Matt Barnes

Miami Heat D-

Players added: Derrick Williams

Players lost: Joe Johnson, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng

Milwaukee Bucks B

Players added: Mirza Teletovic, Matthew Dellavedova

Players lost: Jerryd Bayless, O.J Mayo, Damien Inglis, Johnny O’Bryant

Minnesota Timberwolves B-

Players added: Cole Aldrich, Brandon Rush

Players lost: Greg Smith

New Orleans Pelicans C+

Players added: Soloman Hill, E'Twaun Moore, Langston Galloway

Players lost: Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, James Ennis

New York Knicks D

Players added: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee, Justin Holiday

Players lost: Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon, Arron Afflalo, Jerian Grant, Langston Galloway

Oklahoma City Thunder F

Players added: Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova

Players lost: Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka

Orlando Magic D-

Players added: Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo, D.J Augustin, Jodie Meeks, Jeff Green

Players lost: Victor Oladipo, Dewayne Dedmon, Andrew Nicholson, Ersan Ilyasova, Shabazz Napier, Brandon Jennings, Jason Smith.

Philadelphia Sixers B

Players added: Jerryd Bayless, Gerald Henderson

Players lost: Ish Smith

Phoenix Suns C-

Players added: Jared Dudley, Leandro Barbosa

Players lost: Mirza Teletovic, Jon Leuer

Portland Trail Blazers C+

Players added: Evan Turner, Shabazz Napier, Festus Ezeli

Players lost: Gerald Henderson, Brian Roberts, Cliff Alexander

Sacramento Kings C+

Players added: Matt Barnes, Anthony Tolliver, Garrett Temple, Arron Afflalo

Players lost: Rajon Rondo, Seth Curry, Marco Belinelli, Caron Butler, Duje Dukan

San Antonio Spurs B-

Players added: Pau Gasol, Dewayne Dedmon

Players lost: Boris Diaw, David West, Boban Marjanovic

Toronto Raptors F

Players added:

Players lost: Bismack Biyombo

Utah Jazz A

Players added: George Hill, Boris Diaw, Joe Johnson

Players lost: Trey Burke, Trevor Booker

Washington Wizards B+

Players added: Trey Burke, Ian Mahinmi, Andrew Nicholson, Jason Smith

Players lost: Jared Dudley, Garrett Temple, Ramen Sessions, Nene

Here are the tiers in terms of the moves the teams made that will make the most impact:

First Tier:

Boston Celtics

Golden State Warriors

Utah Jazz

Second Tier:

Washington Wizards

Memphis Grizzlies

Philadelphia 76ers

Milwaukee Bucks

San Antonio Spurs

Minnesota Timberwolves

Indiana Pacers

Chicago Bulls

Third Tier:

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

New Orleans Pelicans

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Fourth Tier:

Orlando Magic

New York Knicks

Houston Rockets

Los Angeles Clippers

Miami Heat

Fifth tier:

Oklahoma City Thunder

Toronto Raptors

Mauled on Basketball: NBA Winners and Losers so far in Free Agency

Mauled on Basketball: NBA Winners and Losers so far in Free Agency: Free agency is arguably the best event of the year in the NBA season. There is a lot of moving and shaking so far in this free agency and wi...

NBA Winners and Losers so far in Free Agency

Free agency is arguably the best event of the year in the NBA season. There is a lot of moving and shaking so far in this free agency and with the salary cap rising to $94 million a 34.5% increase from the 2015-2016 season., it’s really hard to tell what are good prices and signings, and what are bad prices and signings. Some teams have swung for the fences and some teams are looking for a base hit. Not only that, did they actually hit the ball? Let’s look at teams who have hit the ball with the bat, teams who either swung and missed, or got caught looking.

Losers: Orlando Magic
Acquisitions:
Jeff Green 1 year/$15 million
Bismack Biyombo 4 years/$70 million
Evan Fournier 5 Years/$85 Million



Okay, Magic, you can be done trolling us. Who on god’s green earth is going to bid you out for any of those players? In all honesty, are you just throwing money around to absolute scrubs because you can? Jeff Green is the player who just does nothing besides stand in the corner and fall asleep on defence. Congratulations, now you have a bigger logjam in your frontcourt than when the people on Axe Men fist fight. There are not enough words in the alphabet to grade the Magic’s offseason moves. But since there’s only 26, it’s a Z-. By FAR the worst team during this free agency period.

Winners: Boston Celtics
Acquisitions: Al Horford 4 years/$113 million



I’ve been very critical of Danny Ainge lately. But this Al Horford move is amazing. He provides exactly what the Celtics need; rebounding, rim protection, and scoring. The fit is almost like those luxurious beds that fit your body. It’s perfect. Also, they are still in the Kevin Durant race and the Horford signing only helps their chances. Remarkable work by Danny Ainge and his staff, a tip of the hat to you.

Losers: Chicago Bulls
Acquisitions Rajon Rondo 2 years/$30 million



Is there anyone in the Chicago Bulls organization that has a brain? What in the world are they doing? Seriously, I’m genuinely interested. How is Rondo any better than Derrick Rose? In what fantasy land does Gar Forman live in? Rondo and Butler together, on the same team? This will be why Jimmy Butler will be listening to Taylor Swift more often because at least she isn’t as annoying and irritating as Rondo. This is unbelievable. It makes no sense on any level. This honestly might be worse than what the Magic are doing.

Winners: Utah Jazz
Acquisitions: Joe Johnson 2 years/$22 million



Is it safe to say that Dennis Lindsey is one of the best General Managers in the league? I’d say so. The pickup of Joe Johnson helps the Jazz in a lot of ways; he can shoot, has veteran leadership, very good in isolation, and provides a lot of bench scoring. The exciting thing for Jazz fans is he wanted to come there. A player who has pretty high name status wanted to play for your organization. The Jazz needed those four things I listed above, and now they can check all those boxes. Now, with the roster set, the Jazz seem like a dangerous team who probably will be fighting for home court advantage next year.

Losers: Dallas Mavericks
Acquisitions: None
Offers: Harrison Barnes 4 years/$95 million



Did the Mavericks even watch the NBA Finals? Or were they too busy swinging for the fences for players they’ll never get? I get trying to play the Warriors hand by maxing out Barnes. But the only problem is they did it on a wrong day. If you’re going to do that do it earlier you idiots. I don’t understand what the Mavericks see in Harrison Barnes. He’s not very good. He reminds me a lot of Jeff Green, it seems like he can do a lot more, but in reality, he can’t. He is so blah on the court that it makes me yawn. I don’t get the move, and I don’t know what direction the Mavericks are going.

Winners: Atlanta Hawks
Acquisitions: Dwight Howard 3 years/$70 million, Kent Bazemore 4 years/$70 million



I know, I know, a Dwight Howard signing was a good idea?! This move by Atlanta was brilliant. They were able to get an athletic center that can be really effective on the pick and roll with Dennis Schroder and giving Atlanta something new and to excite the fans. Although they let Horford go, it seems like a better fit to have Howard at center and Paul Millsap at power forward. And in addition, they re-signed Kent Bazemore who was the biggest concern for the Hawks considering they been stashing wing players. Overall, I thought it’s been a great start.

Losers: Milwaukee Bucks
Acquisitions: Matthew Dellavedova 4 years/$38.5 million dollars, Mirza Teletovic 3 years/$30 million




How many teams are bidding for Matthew Dellavedova for 38 MILLION IN UNITED STATES DOLLARS? Why would you offer that much since there are plenty of quality backup point guards in the market that aren’t going to go for that much? I don’t understand the Delly signing. Teletovic isn’t as bad, 10 million a year for a pure shooting power forward who are sought after isn’t terrible. Although given that, there is uncertainty. How will he fit with the long, lanky, athletic forwards on the Bucks? We’ll see how it plays out. Maybe they trade Monroe. Side note: seems like Bron is definitely willing to say bye bye!

Bonus Losers

Players who signed long-term contracts last year/Anthony Davis

This is probably the most obvious one. Given the cap is now $94.5 million compared to $70 million last season, that’s a 34 percent increase from one year! Now, I understand that players are worried getting hurt the next season or getting hurt permanently causing them to not have money anymore. Take Anthony Davis for example, he signed the richest contract in NBA history at the time. But if he would have waited until this year or next year, he could’ve been filthy rich. In 2015 he signed a 5 year/ $145 million contract. But instead, he could have had 5 year/$153 contracts or possibly a 5 year near $200 million. But in his case, it’s better to be safe than sorry

Meet your 2015 Rock Springs Tigers or casually known as the: #Streakbreakers

In this article I wanted to get to know the Tigers and figure out what is making their season so special. After interviews with nine players each playing different positions, I got a deep dig on what this season is all about.

The Rock Springs Tigers football team is currently standing at a record of 3-1 with wins being against, Cheyenne Central 51-31, Kelly Walsh 28-21, Larmie 14-13, and their only loss being a nail bitter against Cheyenne East 13-7. The Tigers went into the season tons of optimism and confidence. Feeling good about themselves and the coaches believing in them has been a staple throughout the season, but the reporters and coaches thought otherwise. When Wyopreps.com came out with their "Pre season rankings" the Tigers were predicted to finish dead last. Now? Well in the current Wyovarsity power rankings they were ranked 4th. And are currently 4th in the standings as well.

Every single player I interviewed seemed to say the same thing that has helped them: weights. The team worked tirelessly lifting weights and working on their strength during the summer. Coach Hastings has a specific weights program to get players the strength they need specifically for the football field. Also, nearly all agreed that now with the coaching staff they have, they feel as though each coach can work on his specific job, whether, it be defense, offense, special teams, etc. What I got from this interview process as well was-the team chemistry is phenomenal. They realize they may not always get along, but will come together at anytime for anything, during the high, they'll be there for eachother, when it gets bad, they'll always be there for eachother. It's quite remarkable.

The first question I had for them was: What about the coaching staff, how are they different and what are they emphasizing?

"It's been huge for us to have a specific Offensive and Defensive coach. They've been able to emphasize our schemes and better technique. Also they've always told us how good we were, and that it was just a matter of whether we believed it or not. The weight room has done wonders for us and our work during the summer is the reason we've had so much success"- Team Captain Carter Rosette

"What's different is the team itself. So many kids spent so much time in the weight room, we're stronger than we were last year. And just have more players to fill different spots. The new coaches have impacted a lot as well. Last year, Hastings ran it all. But now all he has to worry about is offense. And he can rely on other coaches to back him up. To be coaches. Defense is settled, and we have amazing coaches." - Running back Matt Fowler

The next question I had was more geared towards the offensive players: What elements has the "new" offense been able to bring since you're no longer under center?

"We've been able to open up the run game to more than one person. And also allows us to open up our pass game more effectively"- Quarterback Wrylee Padilla

"Well, it makes us be able to move a little faster. The running backs aren't having to open up in a weird way, we just go down field. It's not so clustered, I like it a lot. And it opens up the passing game a lot" - Running Back Matt Fowler

"Yeah, I don't really do much but I feel that it allows us to maneuver and read a lot better than last year under center. Not just for the backs, but the line as well."- Running Back Oaklan Jenkins

Next question was directed at Matt Fowler: How has the emergence of Oaklan Jenkins helped you open up the running attack?

"Well, Oaklan is such a great athlete, and runs the ball hard. What's nice about having him is he's just as fast, and has the ability to break tackles. It's fairly easy to stop one running back. But with both of us in the backfield, it's almost impossible to shut us both down. It helps having him in tremendous ways."- Running back Matt Fowler

Question #3 is for mostly the secondary: You guys are ranked in the top half of pass defense in the state what have you, the secondary been able to do? Has it been more talent? Communication? The scheme?

"The secondary has just been rep after rep. Our defensive line and linebackers have been studs. They stop the run and force teams to throw and our scheme has put us in the right spot to make plays. We communicate excellent and we're all so versatile that we can use our athleticism to make plays and shut down teams like we did with Jared Lesley who was the best receiver in the state and had only one catch."- Defensive back Brayden Rondinelli

"A huge part has definitely been communication. We also have much more depth and athleticism than past years. Our 2's can be as productive as our 1's can and that makes us much more comfortable. Also, Coach Walker's scheme and his calls always put us in position to be successful." - Team Captain Carter Rosette

"I definitely believe there is a lot more communication then there was last year. We mix in a lot of different coverages that I believe can disrupt any offense's passing game. I think we've always had the talent, just needed to be more on the same page and really work technique. Also the weight room has definitely helped us become more physical, which is always a plus for a defender"- Defensive back Matt Vesco

Now, to the special teams and my question: Your guys special teams has been phenomenal, with the likes of Brayden Barker kicking the extra points, Wrylee Padilla is second in the state in punting stats, and Mason Randall is near the top of the state in kick return yards. Do you feel as if special teams has been a big part of your game?

"Special teams is huge part of the game and we're really emphasized that every day at practice. We work on it every practice and have specific coaches for each special teams. Also again, the weight room how been a huge part in that because of how much stronger and more physical we are"-Team captain Carter Rosette

The next was directed at the offensive linemen: The offensive line has been greatly improved, providing holes for the running backs and protecting the quarterback Wrylee Padilla. Why is that?

"Our o-line is very strong compared to the previous years we have dedicated a lot of time in the weight room. Also We really emphasize running full speed and staying low in practice and make sure we do our job every time"-Offensive and defensive lineman Collin Chivers

"Weight room. To be honest most of us couldn't even do the things we have been without all the work we put in during the summer. This is the strongest team I've ever been on and all the work is paying off."-Offensive and defensive lineman Freddie Curtis

Now, the linebackers and defensive lineman: The defensive line and linebackers have been able to put pressure on the quarterbacks and been able to stuff the run. Why is that?

"Well first of all we've all spent the majority of the off season in the weight room and that alone has helped a lot.  We also communicate very well which allows all four of us to know what's going on and be on the same page. For example if we know that there's 3 receivers to one side we balance up to it, and whichever inside backer is to that side goes for the QB. Having that communication and strength has helped us a ton, and of course our amazing coaches are on the sideline making the right calls and coaching us up."- Linebacker Zac Tyler

"Our defensive line is coached to be very aggressive, using various moves and also were taught to fill the gap we are assigned this combination allows us to be able to pressure the quarterback and be ready for a run when it comes to our gap" Offensive and defensive lineman Collin Chivers

My last question was if they wanted to add any last tidbit, or something they wanted to get out there. Here's what some said:

"We still have a long way to go. We're just getting started."-Defensive back Brayden Rondinelli

"I'm so proud of my team and the work they've put in. But we have a long way to go, it's not over yet."- Running back Matt Fowler

"I just want people know we're a different team this season. Some of us may not get along off the field but when we're on that field under the lights we know how to come together and play as a unit. Not only that but we know how to overcome adversity. We're taking it week by week, game by game, play by play and we will earn our respect and shock the state, we've won three and that's great, but we aren't done yet."- Linebacker Zac Tyler

After Interviewing these great group of guys it seemed to me as if they were on a mission. They want to prove to everyone that they're the real deal, that this run isn't some magical run, a stroke of luck, or just their schedule. They feel like they have something else to prove. It also became clear that they are not done yet, that even though they have started 3-1 (the best start since 2002), they are not finished, bound and determined to keep shocking the state of Wyoming. And as always, the Tigers will be on the prowl.

The Tigers play the number one ranked Sheridan Broncs this Friday, at 7pm. You can listen to the game on 1360 AM or 99.7 FM.

Wyoming Cowboys 2015 season preview

               In five days the Wyoming Cowboys football team opens their 2015 season against North Dakota. After a forgettable 2014 season ending with a record of 4-8 and 2-6 in the Mountain West Conference, starting 3-1, the Cowboys ended up losing 7 of their last 8 games. The Cowboys struggled on defense, passing, and special teams. The Pokes run a pro-style offense where it is run heavy with a lot of play action, and a 4-3 defensive scheme with most of the pass rush based off of the four defensive linemen. But know, the Cowboys hope to turn around their program and attitude, led by four time FCS champion Greig Bohl in his second season. I will go through the Pokes passing game, running game, receiving corps, defensive line, linebackers, secondary, and special teams. I will also go through each game and give my prediction, give their predicted record, and an end of season roundup.

Passing Game

 

After the poor performance of Colby Kirkegaard, the Cowboys have a new fresh face at their quarterback position in Cameron Coffman. Coffman, a transfer from University of Indiana, the 6'2" 205 pound quarterback threw for 2,734 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions during his sophomore season. Now, he will take over the duties for the Pokes. Coffman should be able to provide stability and security under center. Don't expect the quarterback positions to be one of the weaknesses during the season as long as Coffman is healthy.

Running Game

 

This is arguably the strongest position for the Cowboys. With Shaun Wick and Brian Hill manning the tailback position you should see two very talented runners who have a niche finding holes, willingness to put their heads down and make contact. With a change of pace, Wick being the strong bellcow and Hill being the fast elusive runner, the Pokes should have enough of balance and talent to be very successful. The only concern is how Shaun Wick returns after his wrist injury.  

Receiving Corps

 

Dominic Ruffian is gone, folks, the all time reception leader is off to better things, but where do they go to now? Well the very talented Tanner Gentry is back and junior Jake Maulhardt will be the top two receivers. No other player on the Cowboys wide receiver roster has played a single snap in college football, that's a huge learning curve. Other than the Pokes top two, they have some serious questions, at least four freshman will play. The freshman have talent, but one of the hardest trials they'll have to face is memorizing the playbook.

Defensive Line

 

Eddie Yarbrough, anyone? Yeah, the man is still great. The NFL bound defensive end will anchor this line. Then, the rest of the defensive line consists of Uso Olive, Chase Appleby are the tackles, and at the other end is Siaosi Hala'api'api. The biggest problem for this line is the lack of depth, but they will be able to improve over the lackluster season last year. With the top four linemen, the Cowboys should be just fine.

Linebackers

 

Although the coaches say the linebackers are no longer the biggest concern, it still needs to be a concern. With Lucas Waka the only player who has played at linebacker, the Cowboys are facing inexperience. Junior Eric Nzeocha moved from tight end to middle linebacker and junior D.J May moved from running back to strong-side linebacker and nickel back. After that, they only have two more backups. If someone gets hurt, they Cowboys may be in big trouble.

Secondary

 

With all youth in the secondary, the Pokes will struggle early in the season with four redshirt sophomores, three freshmen, three juniors, and two Seniors. The Cowboys have a lot of young talent, but if one gets hurt, we don't know how the next man up is going to do. But, considering how great the secondary coach Curt Mallory, it will be able to patch some of the problems.  

Special teams

 

This is the most concerning area of Wyoming Cowboy football. It took nearly all summer for coach Bohl and his staff to find a place kicker. Monday, he announced that Tristen Bailey will take care of the kicking duties, while Ethan Wood will take care of the punting, place holding, and kickoffs. With the true freshman Tristen Bailey kicking, the Pokes will have inexperience and an uncertainty with his kicking. This can play an important role into the offense on where they feel comfortable that his range is.

Season schedule and predictions

Wyoming Cowboys
Scores & Schedule
Sat, Sep 5    vs    North Dakota                  2:00 PM                 W

Sat, Sep 12    vs    Eastern Michigan             2:00 PM             W

Sat, Sep 19    @        Washington State             6:30 PM          L

Sat, Sep 26     vs       New Mexico                          1:00 PM      W

Sat, Oct 3       @        Appalachian State                  TBD          W

Sat, Oct 10     @        Air Force                                 TBD          W

Sat, Oct 17     vs       Nevada                                    TBD           L

Sat, Oct 24     @        Boise State                             TBD           L

Fri, Oct 30      @       Utah State                              8:15 PM       L

Sat, Nov 7      vs      Colorado State                         TBD           L

Sat, Nov 14    @      San Diego State                     8:30 PM        L

Sat, Nov 28    vs      UNLV                                     12:00 PM       W

All times are in Mountain Time

Record: 6-6 (3-5 in Mountain West)

Selection to go to: The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Vs. Mac Conference team

Summary: An inconsistent and streaky season awaits the Pokes. WIth a great group of backs and a solid quarterback, the offense should be more stable and much improved. Coach Bohl should be able to rally the guys to get some FCS competition wins in, North Dakota, Eastern Michigan, and Appalachian State. But, with the conference schedule I see the Cowboys struggling mightily against teams like Utah State, Boise State and San Diego State. Some of these games might only come down to a couple of points, and that's where the special teams struggles come in. They will lose games because of the secondary and special teams which will be frustrating for Wyoming fans. But, in large, I see a much improved team who is ready to go to their first bowl game since 2011.

Long-form: Rodney Hood's development into a valuable piece on the playoff hopeful Jazz

  

When the 2014 NBA draft rolled around, there was so much hype for this draft class. Some even put it as “the best draft class we’ll see in years". It sure blew the 2013 draft class out of the water in every aspect. When the draft came, there were a lot of locks or, something that we knew was going to happen. We knew that Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker were going numbers 1 and 2, respectively. We knew that Dante Exum wasn’t going to slide out of the top 7, and lastly, we knew Rodney Hood wasn’t going past the Phoenix Suns with the number 18 pick. And man was almost everybody wrong on that. And to make matters worse, he fell even further when 3 wings got drafted. After the Nuggets took Gary Harris with the 19th pick, the Raptors took Bruno Caboclo with the 20th, and the Grizzlies took Jordan Adams with the 22nd pick. Finally, the Utah Jazz took Rodney Hood. To many, this was considered the steal of the draft, and now, that holds even more true as Hood is developing into a playmaking and shooting wing.

Rodney Hood is a 6’8” 215 pound wing who primarily plays shooting guard and sometimes small forward. On the offensive end Hood is wise beyond his years, he makes the right decisions on the pick and roll, and has a sweet jumper. On the defensive end he struggles, but gives a tremendous effort. Sometimes he lacks on lateral quickness for on ball defense, but understands the right positioning that helps the overall team defense. But, in here, I will exclusively talk about Hood’s offensive game and how it has developed into one of the best offensive games in the league.

Hood’s season is literally a tale of two halves. In the first half of the season, he struggled with first, getting minutes, then, with injuries. Hood had plantar fasciitis for most of the first half of the season, also he got sick with an upset stomach a lot. With only playing 24 games out of 54, he could hardly show us his game, and some of those games he left, so in his case, you almost have to throw it out. But, for the sake of showing his improvement over one season we will use it. Pre All-Star break Rodney Hood averaged 18 minutes per game, 5.3 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He shot a horrid 31% from the field, 28.6% from the 3 point line, and 70.3% from the free throw line. I feel as though Hood was not healthy, but also that Enes Kanter was clogging up the lane with his lack of wanting to set picks and posting up too often. I felt that head coach Quin Snyder didn’t trust to put the ball in the rookies hands. They mostly stashed him in the corner for threes. This was his primary spot on the floor during summer league and beginning of the regular season. He also struggled in his confidence. He never gained momentum in the beginning of the year because of his injury and the fact that he could have one good game, then the next he would struggle. Lack of consistency is normal for rookies, and you can’t blame Hood for that.

 

             In the second half, Hood, and the Jazz played a lot better basketball. Hood’s plantar fasciitis seemed to calm down. He played 26 out of the 29 games. The Jazz, went 19-10 after the all-star break and after trading Enes Kanter. With that move, and Alec Burks being out for the year, gave Rodney Hood the chance to shine, and he made the most of it. Hood, played 24.1 minutes per game, he shot 46.4% from the field, 42% from the three point line, and 81.4% from the free throw line. With averages of: 11.8 points per game, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. As you can see, there was a massive improvement in his game. Some may be that the game became slower for him, or just because he wasn’t hurt every other game. In the second half of the season, Hood showed maturity, particularly in his offensive game. Much to show was his ability to hit the above the break three (a three pointer anywhere along the three point line besides the corners), and also his pick and roll offense. These things, including his willingness to attack the basket, gave him an opportunity to become a go to option for the Jazz, and become an elite offensive player in the league.  

Let’s talk exclusively about Rodney Hood’s offensive game. Hood has many strengths on offense, as I have mentioned: pick and roll offense, shooting stroke. Things I have not mentioned: slashing ability, and a good willing passer. Here, I will be showing vines, gifs, and videos of Hood exemplifying all that he does and break the play(s) down. First, let’s start with the two and a half minute long YouTube video of Hood scoring 25 against the Sacramento Kings.

Scoring 25 against the Kings: https://youtu.be/0lAtaQLt9so

At the 26 second mark of the video, Jack Cooley sets a screen for Hood, Hood, takes the screen and goes left into the middle. That’s the first thing he does well, he makes the defender go to his strong side, now he looks for Cooley on the roll, but, Cooley has his defender sealed, which leads with Hood beating his man off the dribble on his strong side with the easy lay-up. Next, at the 1:16 mark, Hood spaces the floor for Dante Exum and Rudy Gobert to run their pick and roll. Hood, gets his feet set and is ready for the ball at any time. He understands that he is a shooter, so he is ready. When Exum reads the screen, he sees Hood open. Hood, with his feet set nails the above the break three. Then, Hood gets the ball on the fast break. The defender, has to respect his above the break three point shooting, so he plays further up, that gives Hood an opportunity to slash the middle of the lane, then Hood creates contact and finishes with the bucket and the foul. Lastly, at the 2:09 mark, Gobert sets the screen for Hood, then Hood takes the ball left (again, his strong side). Rudy Gobert’s defender can’t go too far up do defend Hood because Hood can easily lob the ball to Gobert for the dunk. And Hood knows that. So he goes for the pull up jumper and buries it.

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Hood with a textbook pick and roll:

http://www.nba.com/video/games/jazz/2015/03/18/0021401015-was-uta-play2.nba/#$/video/games/jazz/2015/03/18/0021401015-was-uta-play2.nba/index.html

           This time, Hood is passing the ball. In this play, Hood gets a screen from Derrick Favors. Hood then goes to his strong side again, but sees there is help on that side due to an overload of players. He sees Derrick and his athleticism rolling to the basket. He’s aware that Favors can beat 33 year old Drew Gooden off the dribble. So, he makes the smart read which leads with the Favors dunk.

Hood in summer league running a pick and roll:

https://vine.co/v/enixe2uVO9w

In this play, Jack Cooley gives Hood a screen to his left side, naturally, you would use the screen and go left. But, Hood sees the over placement of his defender, Marcus Smart, on the screen. Hood fakes left and takes it right. Now, Cooley’s defender must make a decision to either play on Hood or guard Cooley on the roll. That defender chooses neither and plays in the middle. This allows Hood to dribble into the middle of the soft spot and hit the short jumper.  

Hood in summer league stealing the ball and showing his slashing abilities:

https://vine.co/v/enJxF2Y9rbu

This vine shows how Hood will simply be in the right places on defense by stealing the ball. Now on the offensive end, he shows us his much improved slashing. Hood does a simple hesitation, left to right crossover. Hood beats his man off the dribble and finishes with the easy lay in.  

Hood coming off the Jack Cooley screen for the midrange jumper:
 https://vine.co/v/enwItXrQhba

In this last clip I have for you, it shows how Hood can be scary good. Not only can he score while with the ball, but if he develops an off the ball game like this he could be dangerous. Hood starts from the corner, presumably. (we can’t see on the video) and gets an off the ball screen from Jack Cooley. Uses his right shoulder to create space from his defender. Then, to put the fundamentalist icing on the cake, he spaces his shot by widening his base so he doesn’t get blocked.

            The stats that you can pull up on Hood can be very revealing. The most interesting things you will find can be found in the shots dashboard. Hood takes 46% of his shots from the three point line, and 54% from two. This gives you a good indication of how much he really does like to take the three. It also shows how versatile he can be, he can be a spot up shooter, or he can be a slasher as well. This number shows what Rodney Hood can do on the floor. For what he likes to shoot, whether it be a catch and shoot or a pull up. You can also see a good sign there as well because his numbers do not drop that much is he shoots off the dribble. Which for most players, that’s not the case. For catch and shoot two point field goals he shoots 28% and from a pull-up, he shoots 41%. This is a big difference in the percentages. But, if we look at the three point percentage, he shoots 38% on catch and shoot, and 31% on pull up threes. With these numbers it’s easy to see that Hood can easily improve his shooting in different areas. It wouldn’t surprise me if he shot over 40% on his three pointers next season. Part of the reason he only shot 36% last year from three is because of his horrible 28.6% from the corner three. Which should be the easiest three point shot. That number should improve naturally next season. One more tidbit I should point out is that Hood was the number one pick and roll forward and the number one shooting forward heading into the draft.

            Hood has a big summer coming up for him, and an even bigger season. The summer holds the answer if Rodney Hood will get the starting nod over Alec Burks, or if he will be the Utah Jazz’s sixth man. The season holds to see if the game has slowed down for him, to see if he’s gotten quicker, and plays with more pace. All of these areas are important over this amount of time. Everything should go as planned. Hood is an amazing talent, many of us realize that. He has a very high IQ, and is one of those coveted playmaking wings. Hood has a bright future in the NBA and also can grow with the young and upcoming team in Utah. The only problem Hood has is staying healthy, that is the only concern that most people have. All he has to do to become great, is to keep his body in top condition. With all of this said, I think we will be seeing Rodney Hood running pick and rolls with Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Tibor Pleiss, and Trey Lyles for a very long time.  

All stats were provided by basketball reference or NBA.com unless otherwise previously noted.