Danuel House Jr., a fill-in starting forward for the Houston Rockets who spent the maximum days in the NBA allowed on his two-way contract, is headed to the G League after declining the franchise’s contract offer, a source said.
House has averaged 9.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in 25 games for the Rockets, starting the last 12 games.
The Rockets are likely to sign a wing to a 10-day deal to address their lack of depth at the position, a source said. Houston is also optimistic that Eric Gordon, who has missed the last eight games because of a right knee contusion, will return for Wednesday’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Rockets originally signed House, 25, to a minimum deal on Nov. 26 after he played for the team’s G League affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers early in the season. He was waived on Dec. 4 to create a roster spot to sign forward Gary Clark, whose NBA time on his two-way deal was almost up, to a three-year, partially guaranteed contract. The Rockets re-signed House to a two-way deal two days later, and he has been a regular in Houston’s rotation. He was allotted 33 days in the NBA, prorated from the 45 allotted to players who sign two-way contracts at the start of the season.
House will be a restricted free agent this summer if he remains on a two-way deal and spends the rest of the season in the G League. The Rockets attempted to sign House to a multi-year deal, sources said.
The Houston Chronicle first reported that House and the Rockets failed to agree to terms on a deal.