Danuel House is playing on his second 10-day contract with Utah (the first was via a hardship exception, the current one is a standard deal, which expires Friday), and Sarah Todd of The Deseret News makes the case for the Jazz to keep him around. If they want to prioritize roster flexibility, the Jazz could opt to re-sign House to a second standard 10-day contract which would expire just ahead of the February 10 trade deadline.
Utah has two open roster spots and needs high-energy wing defenders, which House has provided thus far, according to Todd. House says playing for the Jazz has been a great experience.
“They welcomed me with open arms, accepted me, no one has ever turned me down, they always ask me if I need anything, they always make me comfortable,” House said. “So especially being a guy that has been accustomed to a certain way for years, and then you come over here and to be welcomed — it makes you really enjoy the process and everything.”
Through six games in a limited role with Utah (19.8 MPG), House is averaging a modest 6.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.7 APG. However, Todd writes that House’s impact goes beyond the standard stat sheet, creating deflections, hustling after loose balls and contesting shots. Coach Quin Synder likes what he’s seen from House.
“Just intensity and competitiveness,” Snyder said of House after the Jazz’s 115-109 loss to the Suns on Monday night. “I think playing hard is as much a skill as anything else and you saw a guy who’s hungry and played hard.”
Todd thinks it’s an easy decision for Utah to give House another 10-day contract and believes the Jazz should seriously consider signing him for the remainder of the season after that.
Here’s more on the Jazz:
- Two-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell might return to action this weekend, Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune relays. Mitchell has been in the NBA’s concussion protocol after receiving an inadvertent elbow from Russell Westbrook on Jan. 17. He could suit up as soon as Friday at Memphis.
- Within the same column, Walden says that Rudy Gobert‘s calf strain is still causing him problems. His recovery timeline remains murky, with Walden stating that Gobert could be sidelined for “several more games at the very least,” but that isn’t set in stone. The Jazz plan to be conservative with the injury, as calf strains can be tricky to recover from. He will be listed as day-to-day for the time being.
- Count Kings forward Harrison Barnes among the players Utah has shown interest in, per Sam Amick of The Athletic (hat tip to HoopsHype).
NBA will announce all star starters within 4 hours
Gobert is a starter?
Another year of Utah not fixing their weakness. A team that can make plays at the top will beat them in the playoffs.
Gobert cannot do everything; he may not even be healthy at the right time.
Barnes is not an answer; a wing-to-baseline guy. House, I think same.
I think Barnes would be fine depending on what they give up. House, O’Neal, Gay and Barnes are all capable perimeter wing defenders. Gay and Barnes can matchup down low. Mitchell, Conley and Ingles are all decent defenders against guards.
Their weakness is Clarkson he has been bad this season with .327/.402. They need a consistent creator off the bench.
Truth be told I was always amazed how well they were doing (*playoffs excluded) despite how talentless the squad members seem.
Is their current (lack of) results their true identity? When they’re bad they look really bad. Not sure how or if they’ll be able to pick themselves up.
Efin ~200M$ uncoordinated, offensively-handicapped wooden log. Not even that good in the defense, just tall, a tiny bit finesse beats him.
I am sorry for this comment, just that ‘mein hertz brennt’ :/