Former first-round pick A.J. Griffin is leaving the NBA and will be waived by the Houston Rockets, according to a report from The Athletic. The Rockets are set to buy out his contract, which was valued at $3.9 million for the 2024-25 season. Griffin, 21, has been contemplating retirement due to personal and family issues.
He was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft after one year at Duke. During his rookie season, he played 72 games (12 as a starter), averaging 8.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 19.5 minutes per game.
However, his performance significantly declined in his second season, where he averaged just 2.4 points, 8.6 minutes, and less than one rebound and assist over 20 games. The Hawks traded him to the Rockets on June 27 as part of a three-team deal that also included the Miami Heat.
Although he participated in the NBA summer league with Houston, his communication with the team has reportedly decreased since then. Griffin comes from an NBA family; his father, Adrian, played nine seasons in the league and was most recently the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks before being fired in January despite a strong 30-13 record.