---

Minnesota Timberwolves General Manager Jim Stack today announced the NBA club has agreed to terms with free agent Eddie Griffin. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Griffin, a 6-10, 232-pound forward from Seton Hall University, averaged 8.6 points (.400 FG%, .333 3FG%), 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.44 blocks and 24.5 minutes per game in 77 contests (started 66) for the Houston Rockets in 2002-03. Griffin ranked third on the team in rebounds and second in blocked shots (21st in NBA). He posted eight point-rebound double-doubles while leading the Rockets in scoring twice and in rebounding on 14 occasions. Griffin reached double figures in scoring 30 times and in rebounds 11 times. He registered a season-high 23 points on Nov. 5, 2002 vs. Seattle and grabbed a career-best 16 rebounds on Jan. 10, 2003 at Atlanta.

Griffin was waived by Houston on Dec. 19, 2003 and was signed as a free agent by the New Jersey Nets on Jan. 8, 2004. He did not play in a game during the 2003-04 campaign.

“We are pleased to add Eddie to our team,” said Stack. “He will be a terrific asset to our front line. He's looking forward to a positive and successful season with our team."

In 150 NBA games (started 90) over two seasons with the Rockets (2001- 02, 2002-03), Griffin has averaged 8.7 points (.383 FG%, .331 3FG%), 5.8 rebounds, 1.63 blocks and 25.2 minutes per game. He posted a career-high-tying 25 points with a 2001-02 season-best 13 rebounds vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 20, 2001. Griffin earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors after averaging 8.8 points (.366 FG%, .330 3FG%), 5.7 rebounds and a team-leading 1.84 blocks per game in 2001-02. He became the first rookie and just the sixth player in NBA history to average more than one blocked shot and one three-pointer made per game (90 made) in a season.

The Philadelphia native was selected by the Nets with the seventh pick overall in the 2001 NBA Draft. His draft rights were traded by New Jersey to Houston for the draft rights to Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong on June 27, 2001.