The Rockets agreed to a contract buyout with Griffin on Friday, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Griffin has reportedly considered stepping away from basketball entirely, but he has already agreed to part ways with Houston. It is unclear if the 21-year-old forward will look to join a new team ahead of the 2024-25 season.
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Rockets' AJ Griffin: Could step away from basketball
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Griffin is "seriously considering" stepping away from basketball, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Thursday.
Griffin was selected by Atlanta with the No. 16 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He averaged 8.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game over 72 appearances during his rookie season, but his role diminished last year while also dealing with an ankle injury, as he averaged 2.4 points in 8.6 minutes per game over 20 appearances with Atlanta. He was traded to the Rockets in late June but could elect to step away from the game before suiting up for his new team.
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Rockets' AJ Griffin: Dealt to Houston
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The Hawks are trading Griffin to the Rockets in exchange for the No. 44 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
After being a first-round pick by Atlanta in the 2022 NBA Draft, Griffin saw a minimal role in his second season with the team. In 2023-24, the 20-year-old forward averaged 2.4 points in 8.6 minutes across 20 bench appearances in the regular season. as he spent much of the season out with an ankle injury or in the G League. Trading Griffin was likely done to make room in the forward rotation after the Hawks drafted Zaccharie Risacher No. 1 overall, but there is no guarantee for minutes in Houston either.
Griffin (ankle) scored three points (1-3 FG, 1-1 3Pt) and added four rebounds and one assist across 18 minutes in Friday's 109-106 loss to the Timberwolves.
Griffin made his first appearance for Atlanta since the All-Star break and his first at any level since March 5, when he suited up for the G League's College Park Skyhawks. The second-year wing missed over five weeks with a right ankle sprain, but he was able to make it back for the Hawks' penultimate game of the regular season. With the Hawks announcing Thursday that Jalen Johnson will miss at least three weeks with a Grade 2 ankle sprain, Griffin could retain a spot in the rotation heading into Sunday's game at Indiana, as well as for the duration of the Hawks' run in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Good to go against Minnesota
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Griffin (ankle) is available for Friday's game versus the Timberwolves, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Griffin has been upgraded from questionable to available Friday after missing a lengthy period with a right ankle sprain. However, the 20-year-old forward is unlikely to be a significant factor in Atlanta's rotation.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Deemed questionable for Friday
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Griffin (ankle) is questionable for Friday's game against Minnesota, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Griffin hasn't played since he suited up for the G League's College Park Skyhawks in early March, but it's encouraging to see him questionable for Friday's matchup. Even if he's cleared to return for the penultimate game of the regular season, it seems unlikely that he'll see much playing time.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Remains out Wednesday
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Griffin (ankle) won't be available for Wednesday's game against the Hornets.
Griffin hasn't played since March 5 -- when he suited up for the G League's College Park Skyhawks -- due to a right ankle sprain. He had been scheduled to be re-evaluated this week, but the Hawks have yet to provide an update on his status.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Out another week
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The Hawks announced Monday that Griffin (ankle) will be re-evaluated in 7-to-10 days.
Griffin has progressed to individual basketball activities as he recovers from a right high-ankle sprain, but he's still at least a week away from moving on to taking contact in practice. With just two weeks left in the regular season, Griffin may have an uphill battle to gain clearance before the Hawks' final game April 14 in Indiana.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Out again
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Griffin (ankle) is out for Monday's game against the Bulls, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Griffin will remain out of the lineup due to a right ankle sprain. He remains without a clear timetable for his return.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Ruled out for Saturday
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Griffin (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Bucks.
Griffin was diagnosed with a right ankle sprain last week and is in the midst of the timeframe in which the Hawks said he'd be re-evaluated. However, he'll be forced to miss another game Saturday, so his next chance to suit up will be Monday against Chicago.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Diagnosed with ankle sprain
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The Hawks announced Thursday that Griffin has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain and will be re-evaluated in 7-to-10 days.
Griffin hasn't played since Jan. 30 due to a contusion to his lower right leg that has recently been diagnosed as an ankle sprain. His continued absence won't affect Atlanta's rotation.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Still sidelined
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Griffin (lower leg) won't play in Thursday's game against the Suns, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Griffin hasn't played an NBA game since Jan. 30 as he continues to battle a contusion of his lower right leg. While no timetable has been established for Griffin's return, his next chance to play will come Saturday against the Hornets.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Remains out Monday
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Griffin has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Lakers with a right lower leg/right ankle contusion.
Griffin continues to miss time due to the injury and doesn't have a return timetable. Even when healthy, he likely won't factor into Atlanta's end-of-season rotation.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Returns to Atlanta, will be assessed
Rotowire
Atlanta recalled Griffin from the G League's College Park Skyhawks on Sunday. by the Hawks in order to be evaluated by the team's medical staff next week.
Griffin has missed College Park's last four games due to a leg/ankle contusion, so Atlanta is pulling him off the G League assignment so the NBA's medical staff can more closely evaluate him.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Promoted to Atlanta
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Atlanta recalled Griffin from the G League's College Park Skyhawks on Monday.
Griffin was recalled along with Mouhamed Gueye (back). While Gueye still appears to be recovering from a stress fracture in his lower back, Griffin is a candidate to be active for Tuesday's game against the Jazz.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Sent to G League
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The Hawks assigned Griffin to the G League's College Park Skyhawks on Wednesday.
Griffin missed the Hawks' final two games before the All-Star break while battling an illness, though he's presumably healthy again as Atlanta prepares to begin its second-half schedule. The second-year wing should rejoin the Hawks for their next game Friday versus the Raptors, but he's first expected to suit up for College Park in Thursday's matchup with the Indiana Mad Ants for what will be his G League debut.
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Hawks' AJ Griffin: Out for Wednesday
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Griffin (illness) won't play Wednesday versus Charlotte.
Griffin will miss his second straight game due to the illness.. The second-year wing showed promise in a supporting role off the bench as a rookie in 2022-23, but he's fallen out of favor with Quin Snyder in the latter's first full season as Atlanta's head coach. Griffin has logged just 18 appearances on the season and is averaging more than 12 fewer minutes per game than he received as a rookie.
