Milwaukee Bucks: 3 massive wild cards for 2021-22 NBA season
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks certainly have an interesting group of players on their roster entering the 2021-22 NBA season.
Both new and old faces alike will join together to help the franchise defend their title as the world champions, and it is shaping up to be very interesting to see everyone together. Fans know what players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday will bring to the table, but what about several other players that are not quite at that level? The Bucks have a handful of role players that are set to play meaningful roles, but which ones could be the biggest wild cards to the team’s success as they take the court next season? Let us dive into it.
Rodney Hood will be a wild card for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021-22
What makes Rodney Hood a wild card for the Bucks is his health. Hood has been hampered by an abundance of injuries over the past two seasons, including a torn Achillies, a fractured hand, and a hip injury. Understandably, these injuries have held the forward back from being the best possible version of himself, specifically as he is coming off the least productive season of his career to date.
Hood signed with the Bucks in free agency on a “prove it” deal worth the minimum, and this move will go one of two ways. The first, and hopefully the route that ultimately comes to fruition, would see Hood regain his footing after an offseason of rest and return to his pre-injury form. Before the Achillies injury during the 2019-20 season, Hood had averaged double-figure points in four of his first five NBA seasons, having solidified his status as a lethal scorer. The Bucks would certainly like that version of Hood to help improve their bench scoring and shooting.
The other avenue would see him still being hindered by injuries and struggling to find momentum with his new team. Hood seems to be in good shape heading into the preseason, but he recently sat out during the team’s open scrimmage, so fans will have to wait to get a genuine look at him. After having played just 76 games over the past two seasons, the injury concerns are still there for Hood as everyone anxiously awaits to see whether or not this change of scenery can allow him to bounce back after a rough stretch.
This signing was ultimately a low-risk one, but the potential reward is through the roof if Hood is back to being himself.