Along with the Heat, the Celtics were considering the tenacious guard during the 2010 offseason, hoping to reacquire his spark off the bench.
House became a fan favorite during his two-plus years in Boston from 2007-2009, but the Celtics shipped him out in February of 2010 to acquire point guard Nate Robinson from the New York Knicks. Though House is accustomed to moving about the NBA, the trade from Boston was a bit of a shock to the feisty perimeter shooter.
"That stung a little bit," House said in an interview with The Arizona Central. "When you feel like you're a main part of what the team is doing and you're on a mission, to get the rug pulled out from under you and get sent to a team that has no shot … that kind of hurt."
House said he hopes to meet back up with his former team in the playoffs this season, a place he's almost guaranteeing the Heat will reach. He's also anxious for the playoff-like atmosphere opposing teams, and fans will bring to Heat games this year, ready to face the pressure that's been mounting ever since LeBron James announced he was "taking his talents to South Beach."
"I'm extremely excited about this opportunity," House said. "In Boston, everybody was after us every single night. We were playing hard-fought games every night. This is going to be even crazier. We're anointed champs from the beginning, and we're not the champions."
Miami is where House got his start back in 2000, his first of nine teams to come in the next 10 years, and he's happy to be earning a veteran's salary of $2.8 million for the upcoming season. According to House, it's worth it to join the vilified trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
"I compare it to the year I went to Boston when the Big Three [Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett] got together in 2007," House said. "But this is going to be even bigger. This is going to be Boston on steroids."
Whether or not the Miami Big Three will match up with Boston's has yet to be seen. But the latest claims by House only add to the excitement building for the season opener between the Heat and the Celtics at the TD Garden on Oct. 26.
Boston fans definitely will not disappoint in bringing the "crazy" atmosphere House craves.
