Houston Rockets: 3 players likeliest to be dealt by NBA trade deadline
By Dalton Sell
Houston Rockets: Second likeliest player to be dealt by trade deadline – Danuel House Jr.
With all of the trade buzz surrounding the Houston Rockets, one name flying under the radar to this point has been Danuel House Jr., the fifth-year forward from Texas A&M. House has played in just eight games this season as he first battled through injury and then a quarantine situation with COVID-19 protocols. Finally returning to the court, House struggled to find his footing with Houston’s newly reshaped roster.
Despite his struggles, he is apparently a player that opposing teams are interested in looking at ahead of the trade deadline. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated on his Hoop Collective podcast (transcribed by RealGM):
"“I’ve heard Danuel House’s name. At least some teams doing some research on Danuel House, I don’t know how available he is. I’ve heard some teams poking around on him, doing some background stuff.”"
The interest in House from across the league is undoubtedly justifiable, given what he brings to the table. The forward has started in 69 of his 110 regular season games with the Houston Rockets, averaging 9.9 points on .437/.379/.800 slash line, four rebounds, and 1.3 assists per contest. Standing at 6’6″ and weighing in at 220lbs, the swingman provides a sizeable presence on the defensive end to throw against opposing wings. Offensively, House can do damage from the perimeter, evidenced by his 37.9 3-point percentage on 5.4 attempts over the past three seasons.
In addition to his stellar play, Danuel House is a compelling target for financially limited teams because of his salary. The 27-year-old will make a combined $7.6 million between this season and next, which opens up the door for flexibility when piecing together a potential package offering. With all of that taken into account, it should not be a surprise if House is not a Houston Rocket beyond the trade deadline.