The Grizzlies are working the phones on Walter Clayton Jr. as they try to trim their standard roster to 15 players by Monday’s 4:00 pm CT deadline, according to league sources cited by Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
Sacramento has emerged as a possible landing spot. Stein and Fischer reported that the Kings are considering adding a guard after Ben Simmons ’ torn Achilles tendon left them exploring backcourt options.
Clayton, a second-year guard, was selected 18th overall in the 2025 draft after he led Florida to an NCAA championship earlier that year. His senior season with the Gators brought plenty of hardware, including Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA tournament and first-team All-America recognition from several outlets.
The path to Memphis has already been a winding one. The Jazz moved up to draft Clayton, then sent him to the Grizzlies in February as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. blockbuster.
Back then, Memphis GM Zach Kleiman made clear the team believed in him and saw him fitting into its young core. That view, at least for now, appears to have shifted.
Clayton’s first NBA season was uneven, to put it mildly. Across 69 combined games with Utah and Memphis, he averaged 7.8 points, 4.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per night while shooting .384/.307/.901.
Memphis is currently carrying 17 players on standard contracts, so the club has to make two moves to get down to the required number before the deadline.
Fischer also reported that Sacramento reached out to Milwaukee about Kevin Porter Jr., another guard he had previously identified as a possible trade candidate. The Bucks are at 16 players on standard deals, meaning a Porter trade without a player coming back would leave their roster in line for the regular season.
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Grizzlies Just Made A Roster Cut That Could Cost Them A Rookie Guard
The Grizzlies are trimming down to the regular-season limit by waiving Walter Clayton Jr. and Micah Peavy, a procedural move that still carries some real roster intrigue. Clayton arrived in Memphis from the Utah Jazz in a trade, and even though both players have guaranteed contracts for this season, the decision reflects how quickly the back end of a roster can get crowded once the calendar turns toward opening night.
For Clayton, there is a little more suspense than usual around a standard cut. Sacramento recently created room on a two-way slot, and that gives another team a chance to take a look at the rookie guard before Memphis can settle in with its final group. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are making their choices with an eye on flexibility beyond this season, since neither player has guaranteed money past 2026/27. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Suddenly Face A Walter Clayton Jr. Decision Fans Will Watch
Ben Simmons season-ending Achilles tear has reshaped the Kings backcourt picture, and Sacramento is now looking around the market for help as the roster cutdown deadline approaches. One name that has surfaced in the chatter is Walter Clayton Jr., the 23-year-old guard who split last season between the Utah Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies after entering the league as a first-round pick.
For Memphis, the timing adds an extra layer of intrigue because Clayton is suddenly in the middle of a decision the front office has to weigh quickly. The Grizzlies have a short window to sort out his future, and with Sacramento reportedly interested, this is the kind of late-stage roster move that can change how the final spot or two comes together before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Memphis Rebuild Comes Down To One Question Fans Can't Ignore
The reset in Memphis has already changed the look of the roster, with the Grizzlies moving on from Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane and leaning into a younger foundation. Around that group, the front office has added some stabilizing veteran pieces in Jerami Grant and Isaiah Stewart, giving the team a blend of development and experience as it tries to sort out what the next version of the franchise actually looks like.
What makes the coming season so hard to pin down is how much of the outlook depends on growth and health happening at the right time. Analysts see a wide range of outcomes for Memphis, from a competitive run at the play-in picture to a step back that leaves the season without a postseason berth, and the difference may come down to how quickly the new core can take shape. [Read more 🡒]