House excited to be back home
In the H-Town corner of the locker room, which Danuel House Jr. moved back into next to Gerald Green’s locker, the Rockets’ reserves who so enjoyed playing together happily proclaimed the “GreenHouse Effect” back in business.
With that, the long, difficult stalemate that had House in the G League was over.
The Rockets on Wednesday had converted House’s two-way contract with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to a standard NBA deal for the rest of the rest of the season, giving House the contract he had wanted.
“I was real confident (about coming back,)” House said. “I trust my agent (Raymond Brothers). I trust Daryl (Morey, the Rockets’ GM). Those guys sat down. They had great conversations andmade everything work.”
House, 25, will be a restricted free agent after the season, as he preferred after his strong showing earlier in the season with the Rockets. Brothers said “we’re going to try to make sure he stays with the Rockets for a very long time.”
House, however, said he will not concern himself with that until the summer.
“I’m just focusing on the game today and the rest of the season,” House said before Wednesday’s game with Golden State. “I’m just trying to make sure I give my all to the Rockets and make sure that I perform at the highest level.
“It would be really huge. But I’m not focusing on that right now. I’m focusing on the game today and the rest of the season.
The 6-7 forward happily returned to his hometown team in time to be on the bench against the Warriors, who had made him their final cut in the preseason.
“It’s good,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “There’s no downside; there’s only upside. He played really well for us. As soon as we can work him back in the rotation, if he’s as good as he was, then it’s all positive. If it doesn’t work out, it is what it is and we still have the same team.
“It can only be positive for us.”
D’Antoni might not wait for practice time to begin playing House again, saying he could “rest some guys” before the Rockets practice again. House was just happy to be back.
“It’s really good,” House said. “I’m really excited that we got everything done. It’s been fun. I’ve been working on my game. I’ve still been trying to perfect the system and still keeping up with these guys. Business is business. Both parties respect each other. That’s why we were able to get something done and be happy about it.”
House averaged nine points and 3.6 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game with the Rockets, making 39 percent from 3-point range. He averaged 10.6 points on 48.1 percent shooting in 12 games as a starter, with the Rockets going 9-3.
House had played 25 games with the Rockets, but also ran the same system under Joseph Blair with the Vipers, potentially making his return smoother. But House also said he has improved since he left.
In 18 games with the Vipers, House averaged a team-high 20.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
“It’s easy,” House said of the transition. “We run the exact same plays. I also have been working on a lot of things to try to improve myself on and off the court by watching film and try to execute certain things.
“Joseph Blair and Mahmoud (Abdelfattah, a Vipers assistant coach) and the rest of those guys down there, they believe in me and they put a lot of trust in me and gave me the keys to the car and let me drive it.”
House said he worked on “a lot of step-backs 3-pointers of course. I watched James (Harden) and some of his moves getting to the rack, especially working on the pick-and-roll and getting better as a ballhandler. Still trying to perfect defense.”