Cavs: 3 players Koby Altman let get away that forced the long rebuild

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PORTLAND, OR – JANUARY 16: Rodney Hood #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers works against Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half during their game at Moda Center on January 16, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Rodney Hood

At just 26 when the Cavs traded away from Rodney Hood, the versatile small forward would’ve helped the Cavs and may have helped them out of the lottery, making Isaac Okoro expandable in theory (even the Cavs likely wouldn’t have been in the lottery anyway in 2020). While Hood tore his ACL in 2020 and didn’t rebound well in 2021, the odds that he gets his legs back in 2021-2022 is high.

While Hood may have gotten hurt in Cleveland, what the Cavs gave up for him is insulting. The Trailblazers gave up nothing to get him, just Nik Stauskas, Wade Baldwin IV, and two future second-round picks.

Seeing as how useless the NBA second-round is, the Cavs would’ve been just as fine with keeping Rodney Hood on their roster and trying to sign him long-term. The Cavs threw money at Larry Nance, Cedi Osman, and Kevin Love, so why not Hood?

Hood filled in a nice need of a versatile wing, who can play defense and stretch the court. Something they’re lacking on the current roster. While Osman is a nice, versatile wing, he’s not gotten the time or the consistency to really consider him a reliable starter. Maybe he can be with a better system but right now he’s kind of lost as an off-ball point-forward type.

Hood doesn’t need the ball in his hands as Osman does and would’ve been a far more effective player in J.B. Bickerstaff’s system, barring the torn-up knee he got in 2020.

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