Houston Rockets: Which veterans deserve to stick around?

Houston Rockets: Does Danuel House deserve to stick around?

Danuel House’s Rockets career has had its fair share of ups and downs. He went from being waived by the Rockets twice to securing a two-way contract before landing a three-year $11.15 million contract in the summer of 2019.

House’s first two seasons in Houston saw him hit his threes and earn more and more playing time as he became an integral part of the Rockets’ rotation. However, ever since an early dismissal from the NBA playoff bubble for breaking league rules he has seen his fortunes turn for the worst.

The 2020-21 season was House’s worst season in Houston as he posted a career-worst 2-point field goal percentage and saw his 3-point shooting dip below league average. Even though House played his way out of the rotation this season the Rocket should keep him around for the last year of his deal.

In the final year of his deal, House will only make $3.9 million, which is a pittance for an NBA-quality starter. If House can regain his shooting stroke then the Rockets could ship him out at midseason for a decent return but after the season he just had they would be selling low.

Even if House continues to struggle from beyond the arc his contract is small enough that it hardly matters if he ends up buried on the bench. The likelihood of bounceback far outweighs the downside of keeping him around.

The verdict: Keep and hope for the best