Milwaukee Bucks: Weighing options at the starting shooting guard spot

Could Rodney Hood start at shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks?

One of the newest Bucks, Rodney Hood’s case to start at shooting guard next season is rather clouded in uncertainly.

Hypothetically, Hood’s offense would be a welcoming boost to the lineup. Over the first seven years of his career, the swingman has averaged 11.3 points per game while shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from behind the arc. Able to create his own shot and consistently knock down shots from the outside, Hood would be a solid fit next to Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and the rest of the starting Bucks.

However, Hood’s health is uncertain at this point. He has played just 76 games over the past two seasons after being riddled with various injuries. Most recently coming off a hip injury that saw his season come to a premature close, there is no clear-cut indication of how healthy he will be from the jump next season. Even if he is indeed back to full strength, Hood might be best suited to play in spurts off the bench to keep his minutes in check.

Having Hood come off the bench also makes sense because the Bucks could use that second-unit scoring he brings to the table. With Bryn Forbes departing in free agency, the team lost one of the better bench scorers they had, and Hood could look to fill that role with his offense. While he is not the knockdown shooter that Forbes is, there is no doubt he can hit some outside shots and give the team some contributions offensively.

All in all, Hood’s chances of claiming Milwaukee’s starting shooting guard spot are rather low.