With the trade deadline on February 8th, the rumour mill is starting to get going. There are numerous reports and stories about there about which players are available, which players are wanted, which teams are looking to buy, and which teams are looking to see. The volume of these rumours will only increase over the next fortnight.A new name entered the mix today. Marc Stein of the New York Times added a new name to the mix, reporting that Utah Jazz forward Rodney Hood is available in trade, that many teams are interested, and that Utah "could" move him.Stein does not say that the Jazz are shopping Hood, nor that they are the ones that are proactively making the trade calls on him. It does however appear as though they are prepared to take the calls, and that there is a market for Hood. And that makes sense; Hood can score.In 36 games this year, all but 12 of which have been from off the bench, Hood has averaged 16.7 points per game in only 28.3 minutes. He does little else but score, recording only 2.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.8 steals per game, and is more of a volume scorer than an efficient one, taking 14.5 shots per game to score that total and sporting only a 53.8% true shooting percentage. Nevertheless, Hood does indeed score the ball, and sometimes he can score it quite a lot. Particularly if he makes his first shot.Utah needs scoring as much as any team and more than most. Hindered by injuries just as they always seem to be, the Jazz are 26th in points per game (101.3), 27th in pace (94.9) and are only 21st in offensive rating (106.5). Their offence can get bogged down quite often, and as one of the few players (along with star rookie Donovan Mitchell) who both can and will create their own shot even when the spacing and player movement is minimal, Hood has his uses even if he is inefficient.However, with Hood approaching free agency this summer after being unable to agree on an extension on his rookie contract this past October, the Jazz might be willing to trade him rather than losing him anyway.

Hood is a good outside shooter, hitting 38.6% of his three-point shots on a large volume of seven attempts per game. And although he struggles to finish around the basket when contested and does not often like to try to get there, he can also drive into the paint and pull up for a two-point jumper, the threat of which adds to his three-point game.

However, Hood does not defend well, routinely getting court back door by opponents and not exerting much ball pressure. He can score in spurts, but all too often gives it back, and in not excelling as a rebounder, passer or creator for others, his value comes solely from the nights that he is shooting well.

Hood is currently one of the few publicly available players whose name has not yet been linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers, although this is not to say that it won't happen soon. A competitive team who need one more piece in their offensive arsenal such as Cleveland, or perhas the Milwaukee Bucks or Oklahoma City Thunder, could benefit greatly from having Hood on their bench.

Soon, the pieces to this trade deadline puzzle will start to fall. Get ready on the refresh button.