On September 26, the Houston Rockets and young forward AJ Griffin are close to reaching a buyout agreement, according to a report from renowned NBA reporter Samus. The news undoubtedly came as a surprise to Rockets fans, as Griffin chose to take a break from the NBA at the age of 21 and seemed to have left the arena he once aspired to conquer prematurely.
According to a follow-up report from Rockets reporter Jonathan · Fagan, we learned more details about the buyout. Griffin chose to give up most of his salary for the next few years, only receiving a $250,000 buyout fee. He originally had two years left on his contract, with a salary of $3.89 million for the new season and a team option of $5.97 million for the 2025-26 season.
This means that Griffin chose to voluntarily give up more than $9.5 million in salary during the contract period. For such a young player at just 21 years old, it is a shame to make such a decision. Many fans and industry insiders can't help but sigh that if it weren't for family changes and personality reasons, Griffin would have had a chance to make a big impact in the NBA.
Despite this, the Rockets broke up with Griffin on a relatively peaceful basis. The $250,000 buyout fee will be added to the Rockets' salary cap, which is an acceptable outcome for Rockets management. The team didn't put a lot of salary pressure on that.
Griffin's departure was not due to injury or a decline in competitive form, but more due to family changes and his personal personality issues. It is reported that Griffin has been dealing with family affairs recently, and these sudden changes have also affected his career development. As a young player, it is understandable that he chose to take a break from the field to deal with these difficult issues in the face of such pressure.
However, leaving the NBA at the age of 21 is regrettable and unwilling for any talented player. Griffin, who has excellent physical condition and basketball talent, remains to be seen whether this break will be a watershed moment in his career. Fortunately, Griffin is still young and still has a chance to return to the league in the future. If he can stay in good shape and adjust his mentality in the future, it will not be difficult for him to return to the NBA stage.
For the Rockets, letting go of AJ Griffin may not be the "ideal" outcome. Back in the trade for Griffin, the Rockets paid a 44th pick, which was eventually selected by the Heat to select rookie Perle · Larson. In a way, the Rockets seem to have suffered a bit in this deal, after all, they sacrificed a potential draft pick to get Griffin.
However, considering that the Rockets already have a large number of young players and limited development resources, even without trading Griffin, they selected a second-round pick with the 44th pick, and their chances of getting into the team's rotation are very slim. Coupled with the talent and potential that Griffin had already shown at the time, the Rockets' deal can't be called a mistake. It's just that no one could have predicted that Griffin would leave the game early for personal reasons, which made the Rockets a little passive at the strategic level.
Although AJ Griffin has chosen to leave the basketball court for the time being, his future basketball career has not completely closed the door. Many fans hope that he will be able to return to the world of basketball after dealing with his personal problems. After all, in his short NBA career, Griffin has shown talent and maturity that doesn't match his age. Whether it's his defensive skills or his potential on the offensive end, there's a lot to look forward to for his future.
If Griffin can stay in good shape physically and mentally through this low ebb in the coming years, he still has a chance to return to the NBA. What's more, the NBA is a league full of opportunities and inclusions, and talent is never overlooked. For Griffin, the next few years will be a critical time to adjust and recover. If he can tackle these challenges correctly, he still has a chance to prove himself in the future arena.
AJ Griffin's buyout is undoubtedly a big regret for the Rockets and fans. As a young player with unlimited potential, he chose to take a break from the NBA for personal reasons, which is an embarrassing decision. However, Griffin is still young and the future is full of possibilities. If he can recover and return to action in the future, perhaps this parting will only be a brief episode in his career.
For the Rockets, despite the loss of Griffin, the team is still full of youth and energy for the future. The Rockets will continue to work hard to create development opportunities for young players and get back into the competition. And as fans, we also hope that Griffin can adjust his condition and return to the court as soon as possible to realize his basketball talent that has not yet been fully revealed.