Rockets reach buyout with young forward facing uncertain future

Reporting last week indicated that Griffin was “seriously considering” the possibility of stepping away from basketball and that the Rockets were preparing for his departure from the sport. The buyout agreement between the two sides will allow Griffin to sit out the 2024-25 season while weighing whether or not he wants to continue his career beyond that, a source tells Feigen.

The 16th overall pick of the 2022 draft, Griffin had a promising rookie season with the Hawks, averaging 8.9 points per game with a .465/.390/.894 shooting line in 72 contests (19.5 MPG).

However, he missed time due to leg and ankle issues and personal reasons in 2023-24 and didn’t play much when he was available, averaging just 8.6 minutes per contest in 20 appearances. The former Duke Blue Devil’s scoring numbers cratered to 2.4 PPG on 29.0% shooting, including 25.6% on three-point attempts.

The Rockets attempted to buy low on Griffin earlier this offseason, trading the No. 44 pick to Atlanta in exchange for the 21-year-old. That transaction was eventually turned into a three-team deal that saw Atlanta move up to No. 43, flipping No. 44 and cash to Miami.

The Rockets had reportedly long been interested in Griffin and in July he expressed excitement about having a fresh start with Houston. But his struggles continued in Summer League, where he shot just 38.2% from the field (including 28.0% from beyond the arc) in a setting where former first-round picks with multiple years of NBA experience typically thrive.

According to Feigen, the buyout agreement between Griffin and the Rockets is worth $250K. It’s unclear whether that means the forward is giving up $250K, slightly reducing his $3.89M cap hit for 2024-25 or giving up nearly his entire salary and leaving Houston with a $250K cap hit. It seems logical that it would be the former, but we’ll have to wait for the official details to confirm the specific numbers.

Griffin’s rookie scale contract included a $5.97M team option for 2025-26. That option will be declined automatically when Houston places him on waivers.

The move opens up a spot on Houston’s projected 15-man regular season roster. The club doesn’t have to carry a 15th man to open the season, but has more than enough breathing room below the luxury tax line to accommodate a minimum-salary signing.