Grizzlies Exploring Trades for GG Jackson II, Walter Clayton Jr. Before Deadline

The Memphis Grizzlies have been exploring trade markets for GG Jackson II and Walter Clayton Jr., Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported Thursday in his notebook for The Stein Line. Memphis has until Monday, Oct. 19, to get down to 15 players on standard contracts.

In a Sept. 10 notebook for the same newsletter, Fischer had reported that Clayton was expected to survive the cuts.

"I'm told, however, that the Grizzlies have been exploring potential trade markets for GG Jackson II and Walter Clayton Jr.," Fischer wrote. "Which is quite a turn from Memphis' original stance on Clayton."

Fischer added that Memphis had valued Clayton highly only months earlier.

"Back in February, when the Grizzlies were negotiating their return in the blockbuster Jaren Jackson Jr. trade with Utah, sources say Memphis valued Clayton quite highly," Fischer continued. "Other teams known to rate Clayton highly dating back to the draft: Golden State and Miami."

Sixteen players on the Memphis roster have fully guaranteed contracts. Jaylen Wells is the 17th, on a partially guaranteed deal that becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the opening night roster.

Memphis opened training camp at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, with 18 players on standard contracts and three cuts to make. On Oct. 3, the Grizzlies announced they had mutually agreed to part ways with Jordan Hawkins.

Memphis is still paying Hawkins his roughly $7 million salary for this season. He and Micah Peavy had come over from the New Orleans Pelicans in a September trade for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson.

A day before Thursday's report, Fischer listed Memphis among the four back-of-roster situations NBA personnel were monitoring before Oct. 19, along with Charlotte, Milwaukee, and the Los Angeles Lakers. He wrote on X that the Bucks, Lakers, and Grizzlies were all exploring trades.

An ankle injury kept Peavy out during training camp. He is owed $2.15 million this season, and his 2027-28 salary becomes guaranteed if he stays.

Kris Murray arrived June 29 with Jerami Grant in the trade that sent Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers. Murray is owed $5.3 million in the final year of his rookie deal.

Spotrac reports that Clayton is owed $4,190,520 this season, the second year of his four-year, $19.3 million rookie-scale contract. Memphis has until Oct. 31 to decide whether to exercise his $4,390,320 team option for 2027-28.

Washington drafted Clayton 18th overall in 2025 out of Florida, then traded his rights to Utah that night in exchange for Will Riley and second-round picks.

In April 2025, he was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player after the Gators beat Houston 65-63 to claim the national championship.

He came to Memphis on Feb. 3 in the eight-player deal that sent Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz. The Grizzlies also received Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, and three future first-round picks.

Over 69 games with the Jazz and Grizzlies last season, Clayton averaged 7.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 20.4 minutes. He started six of them.

In 24 games after the trade, he put up 9.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in 25.0 minutes.

Through three preseason games, Clayton has 18 points in 41 minutes. He is 6-of-19 from the field and 2-of-11 from 3-point range.

GG Jackson has scored 43 points in 46 minutes across the same three games. He had 14 in Atlanta, 15 against the Orlando Magic at FedExForum, and 14 in Chicago.

Memphis drafted Jackson 45th overall in 2023 out of South Carolina and signed him to a two-way contract on Aug. 31 of that year. On Feb. 9, 2024, the Grizzlies signed him to a four-year, $8.5 million standard deal.

He made the All-Rookie second team that season after averaging 14.6 points in 48 games.

Last season, Jackson appeared in 55 games and averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 21.4 minutes.

On June 29, Memphis picked up his $2,406,205 team option for 2026-27, the contract’s final season.

Memphis hosts the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum on Friday in its preseason finale. The regular season begins Wednesday, Oct. 21, with a 7 p.m. CT home game against Utah.