Hawks Trade AJ Griffin to Rockets For No. 44 Pick in 2024 NBA Draft

The Atlanta Hawks are trading forward AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets for the 44th pick in the 2024 NBA draft on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Atlanta Hawks are now at the $171 million luxury tax mark after trading AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets

Griffin, 20, had two years left on his contract: $3.9 million in 2024-25 and a $6 million team option for 2025-26, which is exercisable by Oct. 31, 2024.

Houston is using the $4.5 million trade exception created when Kevin Porter Jr. was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

This trade puts Atlanta right at the $171 million luxury tax. However, if the Hawks tender Saddiq Bey a $8.5 million Qualifying Offer, they would go into the first apron.

In other trades prior to Thursday’s second round of the NBA draft (4 p.m. ET, ESPN), the Minnesota Timberwolves traded guard Wendell Moore Jr. and the 37th pick to the Detroit Pistons for the 53rd selection.

Additionally, the Oklahoma City Thunder are sending Lindy Waters to the Golden State Warriors for pick No. 52, according to multiple reports.

Griffin averaged just 2.4 points per game last season in only 20 games off the bench

Griffin was a 2022 first-round pick out of Duke. In 92 career games (12 starts) with Atlanta, he has averaged 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 17.1 minutes per game while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 37.2% from 3-point range.

In 20 games off the bench last season, he averaged just 2.4 points and 8.6 minutes per game while shooting 29% from the field and 25.6% from beyond the arc.

The 6-foot-6 wing missed time at the start of the season due to undisclosed personal reasons.

Furthermore, in the Hawks’ 157-115 blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers in the regular-season finale, he recorded a season-high eight points on 4-of-15 (28.6%) shooting from the field.