AJ Griffin has fallen out of favor
2022 No. 16 overall pick AJ Griffin exploded onto the season, showcasing an innate ability to knockdown shots, particularly in high-pressure situations. But his playing time evaporated in the playoffs last season and he hasn’t recovered.
He is playing mostly spot minutes and mop-up duty, and his three-point efficiency has betrayed him this season. With questionable defense, Griffin has been a liability on the floor at times.
But he has drawn interest from the Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Houston Rockets
The Hawks could pursue a path to Grimes with Griffin, or go after little-used Rockets wing Reggie Bullock. But this would allow them to swap out draft classmates with skill sets that might fit better in this hypothetical scenario.
Terry is a long, energetic prospect whose offensive skill set is limited at this stage.
He flashes an ability to handle the ball, make plays, and shoot the ball off the catch as well as playing pesky defense.
It is worth noting that the Hawks passed on Terry in favor of Griffin in last year’s draft, perhaps an indication of the likelihood that this deal would come to fruition. It would keep the Hawks from passing up on potential simply because it hasn’t worked for Griffin to this point.
Griffin’s lack of playing time figures to limit the return the Hawks can expect despite the interest.
For that and other reasons, the Hawks could be better off helping Griffin get back on his once-promising trajectory.