Washington Wizards will waive rookie Danuel House, making room for Brandon Jennings, who verbally agreed to a deal with Washington on Tuesday.
Danuel House wasn’t selected in the 2016 NBA Draft, but did enough to earn a partially-guaranteed contract with the Washington Wizards during Las Vegas Summer League.
The 6-foot-7 swingman looked like a prototypical 3-and-D player, capable of spacing the floor and disrupting opponents on the other end. His athleticism made him a potential “steal,” especially under Scott Brooks, who’s built a reputation of developing those types of players.
House earned a guaranteed deal with the Wizards, but broke his wrist early in the season, hindering his development. Without any playing time available, the Wizards sent House down to the NBA D-League for multiple stints.
Washington’s bench is currently 29th in scoring and last in assists, but the setback didn’t allow House to showcase his talent.
Instead, House spent the vast majority of his rookie season on the bench in a suit.
Needing help, the Washington Wizards verbally agreed to a deal with Brandon Jennings on Tuesday, who asked to be waived by the New York Knicks following the NBA Trade Deadline.
Jennings, who’s averaging 9 points and 5 assists this season, will become the Wizards’ primary backup guard.
Some speculated that Trey Burke, who didn’t fly with the Wizards to Toronto on Wednesday, would get waived in order to make room for Jennings on the Wizards’ roster.
But Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that House will be the one to get cut from Washington.
The Wizards are waiving rookie Danuel House to clear roster spot to sign Brandon Jennings, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 1, 2017
Since Brooks wasn’t able to assess House throughout the season, it’s hard to imagine a situation where the rookie would’ve played going forward. The NBA Playoffs are just over a month away and Brooks will have to solidify his rotation.
Burke, while underwhelming, is a veteran capable of scoring in spurts.
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Perhaps more importantly, he’s earned the trust of Brooks more than House, who’s been on the sideline.
If House develops in the D-League or wherever he ends up, he could see himself back in the nation’s capital at some point in the future.
But given how much the Wizards’ bench has struggled, adding someone like Jennings was necessary for a late push.
House was a part of Washington’s four-player rookie class.
Tomas Satoransky, Sheldon McClellan (House’s cousin) and Daniel Ochefu are also in their first seasons.
In the past, the Washington Wizards would’ve been more reluctant to carry that many rookies on the roster, but Brooks’ presence in the locker room has changed the way their front office operates.
Next: Why Jennings Is a Better Option Than Burke
The Jennings signing should be made official by Thursday morning, ending House’s time in Washington.