Milwaukee Bucks: Instant reactions to signing free agent Rodney Hood

Adding wing depth was a priority for the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason, and they have started to fill that vacancy with their latest addition.

First reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Rodney Hood will be signing a one-year deal with the Bucks after being released by the Toronto Raptors and upon clearing waivers. Toronto had the option to keep Hood around if they so desired, but they obviously opted to let him go as the August 3 deadline date finally arrived.

How does Rodney Hood fit in with the Milwaukee Bucks after signing a one-year deal?

Although his injury is a significant concern, this is a low-risk signing that could potentially turn into a high-reward scenario for the Bucks.

When healthy, Hood is undoubtedly a serviceable piece that can bring a dose of instant offense off the bench. Averaging 11.3 points per game over his seven-year career, Hood is a proven scorer in this league. Where he could be extremely useful for this team is from the perimeter, where he has shot 36.7 percent for his career. The Bucks are always looking to add more outside shooting, and with Bryn Forbes seemingly weighing his free agency options, Hood could be a reasonable option to pivot too if the former is out of their price range.

In the event that Forbes does indeed leave, the Bucks will need a scoring boost off the bench, and Hood would fit in seamlessly. He could help bump up Milwaukee’s second-unit scoring numbers without question alongside the newly re-signed Bobby Portis and whoever else the team plans to bring in as they retool the roster. If he can regain his footing, this Hood signing could be yet another under-the-radar move.

Of course, health will be the determining factor in Hood’s evaluation process. Between his torn Achilles tendon and a hip injury he suffered with the Raptors, Hood has played in just 76 games over the past two seasons. At just 28-years-old, there is plenty of time for the former first round pick to find his footing in the league once again, but it will not be easy. Over the past two seasons, Hood has averaged just 6.3 points per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from behind the arc, understandably struggling to find a consistent groove through the bombardment of injuries.

If this offseason has allowed Hood to get healthy and he can find some sustainability by staying on the court next season, this move will be viewed much differently. If this is another minimum deal the Bucks have handed out, then this move does make some sense as the Bucks add another piece to their depth collection.

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All in all, this might not be the flashiest move, but it does have some upside potentially waiting to be unearthed this coming season.

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