The Houston Rockets are quickly closing in on training camp, an exciting moment for a team with aspirations of playoff contention this season. However, just weeks out from the 2024-’25 NBA season tipping off, one Rockets player is reportedly considering retirement.
Houston is coming off a strong offseason, one that has only strengthened the outlook for the future. The Rockets added Reed Sheppard to the backcourt this summer and there are high expectations for Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr and Alperen Sengun to all take more steps forward this coming year.
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However, not everything is great in Houston. With Rockets training camp set to begin on Oct. 1 at a new facility, the team is now dealing with the possibility of one of its offseason acquisitions walking away from the game entirely.
According to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania and Kelly Iko, wing AJ Griffin is “seriously considering” stepping away from the game of basketball. It’s believed to be under such serious consideration that the Rockets are preparing as if Griffin won’t be on the court moving forward.
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- A.J. Griffin career earnings (Spotrac): $7.249 million
Griffin, who just turned 21 on August 25, was the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. An ACC All-Fresman Tea selection with the Duke Blue Devils in 2022, Griffin was traded to the Rockets this offseason. On June 27, Houston acquired him as part of a three-team trade, sending the draft rights of Nikola Durisisc to the Miami Heat. Just a few months later, Griffin seems done with basketball.
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- AJ Griffin stats (ESPN): 7.5 PG, 1.9 RPG, 44.7% FG, 37.1% 3PT
Griffin would be leaving several million dollars on the table, though, Houston was unlikely to exercise his $5.967 million player option for the 2025-’26 season. Assuming he retires, the departure will likely open up a spot at the back end of the Rockets rotation with a battle for those minutes in training camp.
