AJ Griffin, Rockets Agree to Contract Buyout Amid Retirement Talk

The Houston Rockets and forward AJ Griffin have reached terms on a contract buyout, per the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen. Griffin, the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, was set to enter the third year of his four-year, $17.1 million contract. The buyout is worth $250,000, according to Spotrac.

The former first-round draft pick plans to step away from the game while mulling whether to continue his NBA career, sources confirmed to ESPN and Bleacher Report on Friday.

Houston Rockets buy out forward A.J. Griffin as he mulls his NBA future https://t.co/zynkluKnrc via @houstonchron

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) September 20, 2024

The Athletic’s Kelly Iko and Shams Charania reported that AJ Griffin is stepping away from basketball and in doing so is “giving up a significant portion of the $3.9 million he was owed for the upcoming 2024-25 season, per a team source.”

This is part of the four-year, $17.1 million rookie-scale contract he signed with the Hawks in July 2022.

As part of a three-team trade in June, the Hawks sent Griffin to Houston; Atlanta traded cash to the Miami Heat; the Rockets traded Pelle Larsson to Miami; and the Heat dealt Nikola Djurisic to Atlanta. The Hawks also received a trade exception.

AJ Griffin played in five games with the Houston Rockets during the NBA Summer League this year

Griffin appeared in five games for the Rockets during Summer League this year and also participated in voluntary workouts. However, Iko and Charania reported that “as training camp edged closer, Griffin’s appearances — and communication with the organization — diminished.”

Griffin and Houston were “preparing for his departure from the game.” Iko and Charania added that the Rockets “understand that his personal life takes priority and have offered their support.”

Furthermore, Houston “has no immediate plans to fill the roster spot” and “will remain flexible and patient on the market,” per Iko and Charania.

AJ GRIFFIN pic.twitter.com/DJzUlJm7tR

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 8, 2022

The 6-foot-6 Griffin had a decent rookie season with the Hawks. In 72 games (12 starts) of the 2022-23 season, he averaged 8.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 19.5 minutes per contest

In Atlanta’s 117-98 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 7, 2022, AJ Griffin recorded a career-high 24 points on 10-of-15 (66.7%) shooting from the floor and 2-of-6 (33.3%) from beyond the arc. The former Duke star made both free throws as well.

Nevertheless, in 20 games off the bench last season, he averaged just 2.4 points and 8.6 minutes per contest while shooting 29% from the floor and 25.6% from 3-point range.