A.J. Griffin is stepping away from basketball and will be waived by the Houston Rockets. Griffin will be bought out by the Rockets and give up a significant portion of the $3.9 million he was owed for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Griffin was previously reported to be considering leaving behind his NBA career while citing undisclosed personal and family-related reasons. Griffin was the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of by Duke by the Atlanta Hawks.
Griffin was traded by the Hawks to the Rockets this offseason and appeared in five games in Summer League. As training camp drew closer, Griffin’s communication and appearances at the practice facility diminished.
The Rockets have no immediate plans to fill Griffin’s suddenly vacated roster spot.