AJ Griffin, the No. 16 pick out of Duke in 2022, is “seriously considering” walking away from basketball at the age of 21.
That surprising news came from Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic. No reason for him to consider this move was given.
It is unclear if this would be permanent or temporary, but it appears that it would be for an extended period of time.
Griffin showed promise during his rookie season in Atlanta, averaging 8.9 points per game and shooting 39% from 3. He missed some time at the beginning of last season for personal reasons – the team did not provide details – and even when he returned, he missed. didn’t crack the rotation, playing in just 20 games, averaging 2.4 points per game and shooting 29% from 3. He also struggled on the defensive end.
This summer, he was traded to Houston as part of a three-team deal where Atlanta acquired the number 43 pick (which it used on Nikola Djurisic). There have been reports that the Rockets’ front office is intrigued by Griffin and believes he has potential with them, although Houston is a team deep with young talent, so cracking the rotation would not be easy. Griffin played for the Rockets at Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 11.6 points and 3 rebounds per game, shooting 28% from 3 through five games – not outstanding numbers, especially for an experienced player.
Griffin, the son of former NBA player Adrian Griffin – the coach for the first 43 games of last season in Milwaukee – is owed a guaranteed $3.9 million this season, if he retires, he’s out of it. The Rockets have a $5.9 million team option for the 2025-26 season.
Whatever Griffin’s reason for potentially leaving, let’s hope he gets the help he needs and what he’s looking for.
