Houston Rockets forward AJ Griffin is “seriously considering” leaving basketball after two seasons in the NBA at the age of 21, according to Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
Griffin, selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2022 draft from Duke, did not give a reason why he is considering retirement. It is not clear whether this will be permanent or temporary.
The 6-foot-6 Griffin showed promise in his 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 assists, and 19.5 minutes per contest.
Just in: Houston Rockets F AJ Griffin is seriously considering leaving basketball, sources tell me again @KellyIko. Griffin, 21, was the No. 16 pick in the 2022 NBA draft to Atlanta, then traded to Houston this summer. The sides are preparing for his departure in this game. pic.twitter.com/AyNp1rF4MI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 12, 2024
In Atlanta's 117-98 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on November 7, 2022, Griffin recorded a game-high 24 points on 10-of-15 (66.7%) shooting from the floor and 2-of-6 (33.3 %) from. without an arc. The former Duke star made both free throws as well.
The New York native also shot 46.5% from the field, 39% from deep, and 89.4% from the free throw line that season. However, he missed time at the start of the 2023-24 season due to personal reasons. Atlanta did not provide details.
The Atlanta Hawks traded AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets in June
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, 25.6% from three-point range, and a true shooting percentage of 38.2%.
As part of a three-team trade in June, the Hawks sent him to Houston; Atlanta traded money to Miami Heat; the Rockets traded Pelle Larsson to Miami; and the Heat dealt Nikola Djurisic to Atlanta. The Hawks also received an exception in the trade.
Per Spotrac, AJ Griffin is owed $3.9 million guaranteed this season. This is part of the four-year, $17.1 million rookie-scale contract he signed with the Hawks in July 2022. If he retires, he will move away from that. The Rockets have a $5.9 million team option for the 2025-26 season.
Griffin is also the son of former NBA player Adrian Griffin, who coached the Bucks through the first 43 games of last season. Doc Rivers became Milwaukee's head coach on Jan. 24, 2024.
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