The Grizzlies’ roster squeeze is starting to put real pressure on Walter Clayton Jr.
Memphis has already made one more move in a busy offseason, trading Taj Gibson and AJ Johnson to the Pelicans for Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, and future draft capital. But with the team needing to trim from 19 players down to 15 standard contracts, the numbers are getting tight fast. That’s where Clayton Jr. enters the conversation.
Clayton Jr. was one of the young pieces Memphis got back in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade to the Jazz, along with Taylor Hendricks. Even though he went in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, his first stretch in Memphis was, by the source’s own account, a rough one.
Jake Fischer recently named Clayton Jr. as one of four possible waive candidates as the Grizzlies work toward the 15-man limit. The others were D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Hawkins, and Kris Murray.
Russell, Hawkins, and Murray are all understandable names to hear in that mix. Clayton Jr. showing up there at all is the eyebrow-raiser.
There’s a straightforward basketball case for Memphis moving on. Clayton Jr. didn’t flash enough as a rookie, and his shooting struggles stand out in a backcourt that already has options. Cam Spencer, Ty Jerome, and Scotty Pippen Jr. all give the Grizzlies capable shotmaking guards, which makes the margin for error thinner for a player like Clayton Jr.
Javon Small adds another layer to that picture. He remains on a two-way contract, but he outplayed Clayton Jr. and could work his way into a standard deal down the line. Small also had a stronger summer in Summer League, while Clayton Jr. was sidelined by a knee injury.
That said, there’s still an argument for patience. Memphis is only at the start of its rebuild, and Clayton Jr. is a very recent first-round pick.
The organization could decide he deserves more time to rediscover the shooting touch he showed in college. Zach Kleiman has also previously floated Clayton Jr.’s name as a piece to build around.
With training camp only nine days away, it doesn’t look like Memphis is in a rush to keep making moves before preseason competition starts to sort things out. Micah Peavy, Jordan Hawkins, and Walter Clayton Jr. could end up fighting for the final spot in camp.
If Fischer’s report holds, then Clayton Jr. may be spending training camp and the preseason playing for his place in Memphis.
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