Danuel House Jr.’s only goal is to help the Sixers win: ‘I feel like that’s my biggest accolade’

CLEVELAND — Danuel House Jr.’s lone focus as a 76er is being a quintessential role player.

One gets the impression that if asked to drive the team bus, House would attempt to do so. The 6-foot-6 reserve swingman is prepared to do whatever the Sixers ask of him.

“My role is just to bring energy,” House said following Monday night’s 113-97 preseason victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. “My role is to be the guy to make stuff happen, make plays happen, make a shot, knock down a shot, get a rebound, pass the ball, set the play up, run the play, set the screen, whatever the teams need pretty much.”

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And he’s doing a solid job of delivering whatever the team needs this preseason.

A stiff neck sidelined House for the Oct. 3 preseason opener against the Nets in Brooklyn. However, the free-agent signee was active in last Wednesday’s 113-112 victory over the Cavs at the Wells Fargo Center. House had three points and four rebounds in 10 minutes, 17 seconds of action. He made his lone shot, a three-pointer.

Then on Monday, House gave another glimpse of why he’s expected to be a solid addition off the bench. The seventh-year veteran had 10 points in 14 minutes, making all four of his shots, including a pair of threes.

“I love him,” coach Doc Rivers said. “I love his spirit, before he gets on the court. I love his talk. He’s one of the other guys that talks a lot.

“But he shoots the ball. He’s just playing very, very smart basketball.”

The Sixers signed House to a two-year, $4.1 million deal in July. This comes after he spent last season with the Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. House averaged 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 42 combined games with seven starts.

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The 29-year-old had brief stints with the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors before his break as an NBA three-and-D player with the Rockets.

“I’m just here to give away myself,” he said. “Like I said earlier, I’m not really worried about accolades. As long as we win, I feel like that’s my biggest accolade.”

Matisse Thybulle had his best game of the preseason on Monday. The Sixers reserve guard had nine points, making 3 of 5 three-pointers along with two steals in 11 minutes. Thybulle had averaged 3.5 points while shooting a combined 1-for-6 on threes in the first two preseason games.

The Sixers signed Mac McClung, Justin Smith, and Pat McCaw to Exhibit 10 contracts and subsequently waived them. The trio is expected to join the Sixers’ NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, for training camp.

An Exhibit 10 contract allows NBA teams to offer players a bonus for playing with their G League affiliates.