Getty Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers shoots over Danuel House Jr. #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center on October 24, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The NBA season is off to a rapid start and each team is beginning to find out their identities on the season. This is no different for the Philadelphia 76ers who have stumbled to a 4-6 start out of the gate. In a recent article on Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley broke down the one problem showing face on each team. He gave this unfortunate label to Danuel House Jr. due to his slow start to the season.
As Buckley stated, “Philly’s summer renovations to its supporting cast have mostly clicked. P.J. Tucker is once again splashing corner threes and pestering scorers of all sizes. De’Anthony Melton is energizing this team with defense and transition attacks. Danuel House Jr. is the lone exception. He should be a clean three-and-D fit for the Sixers stars—he played his best ball alongside James Harden in Houston—but there hasn’t been enough threes or defense.”
Danuel House Jr knocks down the corner 3 to tie it up!
House Jr.’s Production
As was alluded to in the article, things have not clicked for House in the way it was hoped. Through the opening nine games he has played in, the 29-year-old is averaging just 3.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in his 16.4 minutes per game. He also is shooting just 37.0% from the field and 31.3% on three-point attempts. He also has struggled on the defensive side of the ball and tallied just three steals and a block thus far.
The perception of House was that he would be an improved two-way option at wing for the Sixers. However, his inability to make his presence felt on either side of the ball has been a concern. House has looked notably lost on the defensive end at times and does not possess the necessary level of offensive talent to make up for this. He had his best years playing next to James Harden in Houston and showed some positive flashes in the preseason, but this has not translated early on.
Here are a few Danuel House Jr. defensive highlights.
He was a really solid defender for the Jazz last season. Pretty good lateral quickness, can switch across forwards and some guards, and has length to contest on the ball. He’ll fit well with what Philly’s wing rotation needs.
House did have his best game of the season in the recent loss to the Wizards where he tallied 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal. He also knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the matchup. The career 36.5% three-point shooter was also held out of the last matchup due to illness and is listed as questionable ahead of the Sixers’ matchup with the Suns.
Outlook For The Rotation Moving Forward
The early struggles to start the season did allow Matisse Thybulle to receive another opportunity to crack the Sixers’ rotation. The defensive specialist has made his impact felt and the Sixers’ defensive struggles to start the season has made it especially necessary to have him within the rotation. While there is a place for both players in the rotation, Thybulle is the most direct contender with House for minutes.
If he plays up to the level he is capable of, House will be a very impactful rotation piece for the Sixers. Philadelphia’s lack of two-way players has been a major cause of weakness in recent years. This has especially been put on display in the postseason where players like Thybulle, Furkan Korkmaz, and Georges Niang have not been able to hold up on both sides of the floor.
The Sixers can’t play Matisse Thybulle in this series. His defense hasn’t come close to offsetting his offensive limitations.
They’re playing 4-on-5 offensively with him out there.
It is too early in the year to truly be worried about House. However, he has not looked to be the seamless fit it was hoped to be. If his production does not increase don’t be surprised if Daryl Morey seeks out other wing options around the NBA as the trade deadline approaches.