The Atlanta Hawks are trading forward AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets for the 44th pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Griffin, 20, was a 2022 first-round pick out of Duke Blue Devils. He has averaged 7.5 points and 1.9 rebounds in his two seasons in Atlanta.
He only played 20 games last season for the Hawks, not starting any, as he missed time at the start of the season due to undisclosed personal reasons.
In other trades prior to the Thursday’s second round of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded guard Wendell Moore Jr. and the 37th pick to the Detroit Pistons for the 53rd selection, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Also, the Oklahoma City Thunder is sending Lindy Waters, who averaged 3.6 points in 7.4 minutes per game last season, to the Golden State Warriors for pick No. 52, sources confirmed to ESPN.