The Houston Rockets have reached a buyout agreement with forward AJ Griffin, allowing him to step away from basketball, reports Jonathan Feigen of Houston Chronicle.
Griffin, 21, was acquired by the Rockets from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a second-round pick last June.
The young forward was not expected to play for Houston in the upcoming season and struggled during the Las Vegas Summer League.
Following the buyout, Griffin will sit out the 2024-25 season while contemplating his future in the sport.
The buyout agreement was worth $250,000, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Griffin was selected 16th overall by the Hawks in the 2022 NBA Draft after a standout college career at Duke.
In two NBA seasons, he averaged 7.5 points per game while shooting 44.7% from the field across 92 games.
During the 2023-24 season, Griffin played in 20 games for the Hawks, averaging 2.4 points in 8.5 minutes per game.
The buyout signals an uncertain future for Griffin, as he considers whether to continue his basketball career.
Griffin is the son of former NBA player and former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin.
Despite his early potential, Griffin struggled to find consistent playing time and rhythm during his time with the Hawks and Rockets.
His performance in the Las Vegas Summer League raised concerns about his fit with the Rockets’ roster moving forward.
