Houston Rockets waiving forward Danuel House Jr., agree to long-term deal with wing Garrison Math...

ByTim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski ESPN logo
Saturday, December 18, 2021

The Houston Rockets are waiving veteran forward Danuel House Jr.and have agreed to a long-term deal to convert wing Garrison Mathews from his two-way contract, sources told ESPN.

House, 28, has averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for the Rockets over the past four seasons, starting 89 games in that span.

Mathews has agreed to a four-year contract worth more than $8 million, sources said.

Mathews, 25, has averaged 12.3 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 36.2% from 3-point range in 16 games for the Rockets. He has started the past 11 contests, helping Houston go 7-4 during that stretch.

House has been sidelined recently by an ankle injury, but he is expected to be recovered within a week or two, sources said.

It would have been difficult for House to return to the rebuilding Rockets' rotation, as younger wings such as Mathews, Jae'Sean Tate and Kenyon Martin Jr.have earned roles and could be significant players in the team's future.

Sources said the Rockets wanted to make sure that House, who is in the final season of his contract, had a chance to catch on with another team.

With House's departure, guard Eric Gordon is the only player on the Rockets' roster who remains from Houston's 2019-20 playoff team.

The Rockets also will sign wing Trevelin Queen to a two-way deal, sources said. Queen, 24, is averaging 22.0 points per game this season for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston's G League affiliate.

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