Life in the NBA can be unforgiving at times, and former Gator great Walter Clayton Jr. is finding that out firsthand. Clayton was drafted in the first round by the Utah Jazz last year, was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, and now needs to find a new home as the Grizzlies are waiving him as the new season is set to begin.
It is a set back, but there should be enough intrigue that Clayton should find a landing spot for the new season.
Former Gator Walter Clayton Jr. is waived by Memphis
It’s been a whirlwind for Clayton over the past year. After he led Florida to one of the most dramatic national titles in recent college basketball history, he was viewed by some mock drafts as a potential lottery pick, but ultimately seemed to settle as a mid-to-late first-round pick by the time the draft rolled around.
The Miami Heat seemed very interested in Clayton ahead of the 2025 draft, and it looked like things were lining up for Clayton to land there. But then Utah traded up to leapfrog the Heat and took Clayton with the No. 18 pick.
Emblematic of his up-and-down usage in Utah last year, he scored 20 points in 29 minutes in a game against OKC on December 7, only to then get relegated to eight minutes the next game against Memphis.
Once the bottom fell out of Utah’s season, he was traded to Memphis in February.
He did get a significant run in Memphis and ended the year with double-digit points in his final five games of the season, but the Grizzlies started looking around to trade Clayton. When they couldn’t find a dance partner, they waived him to get down to their 15-man roster limit.
According to several NBA insiders, there should be a market for Clayton. His play steadily improved as the season progressed as he adjusted to the NBA. Some worry he lacks the length and size needed for his playstyle, but he’s not an unusable player on the court.
It will be most interesting to see if Miami cycles back to Clayton. The Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors are two other teams rumored to be kicking the tires. If Clayton did go to Golden State, he would reunite with Will Richard.
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