Re-Drafting the 2014 NBA Draft

4. player. 38. <p><strong>Original pick: Aaron Gordon</strong></p> <p>It is flatly insane that Rodney Hood fell out of the top 20 of the 2014 NBA Draft class.</p> <p>Hood will be 24 years old before the 2016-2017 season begins, and that comes as a result of a college transfer from Mississippi State to Duke before he arrived in the NBA. However, that somewhat advanced age isn’t nearly reason enough to downgrade Hood on the board, and he was an exceptional player in year two for the Utah Jazz.</p> <p>In 2015-2016, Hood averaged 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while playing 32.2 minutes per game for a legitimate NBA playoff contender, and his shot-making prowess is what makes Hood extremely appealing. He is a career 36% shooter from beyond the three-point arc, which is quite nice, but more than that, Hood is fully capable of creating his own shot off the dribble as well.</p> <p>There is some concern that Hood has “peaked” as an offensive player, but that seems far-fetched for a player entering his third season, and he also presents quality length at 6-foot-8 that should allow Hood to develop defensively. I am probably higher on Rodney Hood than most of the NBA punditry, but at the same time, he is an established above-average wing in a league that needs wings in the worst way. That’s wildly valuable.</p>. SF. Duke. Rodney Hood