Nuggets eye House
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News
December 5, 2004
The Denver Nuggets are interested in Eddie House, a sharpshooting guard waived Saturday by the Charlotte Bobcats.
Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said after his team’s 104-95 win over the Miami Heat on Saturday that the Nuggets have contacted House’s agent, Mark Bartelstein.
"We’ve expressed some interest,’’ said Vandeweghe, whose team is seeking a guard to replace Voshon Lenard, out for the season with a torn Achilles. "We’re definitely looking at (House).’’
House is averaging 11.1 points and shooting .414 from three-point range. A source close to the situation said House was waived because the Bobcats are going to acquire Kareem Rush from the Los Angeles Lakers for a second-round pick.
The source said the Nuggets also offered a second-round pick for Rush. However, the Lakers believe Charlotte’s pick will be higher and they preferred to trade Rush to the Eastern Conference.
House is making $825,000 in the final year of his contract. Vandeweghe said it’s possible the Nuggets could put in a waiver claim for House, which would increase their chances of getting him when he clears waivers during the middle of the week.
The Nuggets could acquire House on waivers because they have a $1.6 million injured-player exception due to Lenard’s injury. Not many other teams have the cap room to claim House off waivers.
Or the Nuggets could wait until House clears waivers. Then they could offer him a prorated deal for the NBA minimum in his classification of $745,046.
"It’s up to the coaches what they want to do,’’ Vandweghe said of possibly acquiring House. "I’ll keep the coaches abreast. I would think that he would be good for us.’’
The 6-foot House, 26, is in his fifth season. He was a Miami rookie in 2000-01 when Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik was a Heat assistant.
This will be good for Rush, Denver or Charlotte hes gonna get a good chance of being a solid starter. Finally can leap from the shadow of Kobe.....hopefully it happens quick....Rush might leap into the MIP race even.