Alright, folks, buckle up because we’ve got some juicy NBA drama to dive into!
AJ Griffinโs Unexpected Exit
So, AJ Griffin and the Houston Rockets have parted ways. Yup, you heard that right. According to Jonathan Feigen from the Houston Chronicle, Griffin, who was the 16th pick in the 2022 draft, agreed to a buyout worth $250,000. He was supposed to be in the third year of a four-year, $17.1 million deal. But now, he’s stepping away from the game to figure out his future. Kinda wild, huh?
Houston Rockets buy out forward A.J. Griffin as he mulls his NBA future
via @houstonchron
โ Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen)
Summer League and Vanishing Acts
Griffin played in five games for the Rockets during the Summer League, and things seemed fine at first. But as training camp approached, his appearances and communication with the team started to fade. According to Kelly Iko and Shams Charania, both from The Athletic, Griffin’s personal life took priority, and the Rockets are totally supportive of his decision. Honestly, I think it’s awesome to see a team backing their player like this.
The Trade That Shook Things Up
Remember that crazy three-team trade in June? The Hawks sent Griffin to Houston, Atlanta traded cash to Miami, the Rockets shipped Pelle Larsson to the Heat, and Miami sent Nikola Djurisic to the Hawks. Oh, and Atlanta got a trade exception too. Whew! That was a mouthful. Anyway, it seems like all this moving around didn’t help Griffin settle in.
Griffinโs Rollercoaster Rookie Year
Let’s rewind a bit to Griffin’s rookie season with the Hawks. The guy had some solid moments, playing in 72 games and averaging 8.9 points. He even dropped a career-high 24 points against the Bucks on November 7, 2022. But last season, his performance dippedโjust 2.4 points in 20 games off the bench. Talk about a rollercoaster ride!
AJ GRIFFIN
โ Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks)
So, what do you think? Is AJ Griffin making the right call stepping away, or should he have stuck it out? Drop your thoughts below!
