Grizzlies Could Regret Giving Up on Walter Clayton Jr. Too Soon

If Walter Clayton Jr. is going to realize his potential, it's not going to be with the Memphis Grizzlies. The team decided to waive the young guard recently.

Mere days ago, I wrote that Memphis shouldn't salary dump Clayton Jr.. Apparently, the organization was not on the same page. They decided Clayton Jr. wasn't part of the future.

It's a decision they could come to regret.

Granted, Clayton Jr. struggled as a rookie.

He shot just 30.7% from 3-point range. Given Clayton Jr.'s other limitations, that won't fly in the NBA. He's not especially tall or athletically gifted. Clayton Jr. is a skilled ball-handler and passer, but if he doesn't have 3-point gravity, he's likely to be an offensive liability for whatever team he's on.

That said, assuming he'll never find his NBA 3-point stroke would be a mistake.

In his last college season for Florida, Clayton Jr. hit 38.6% of his 7.8 3-pointers per game.

That's an impressive combination of volume and efficiency. As the team's offensive focal point, Clayton Jr. was no stranger to intense defensive scrutiny. Those weren't strictly catch-and-shoot attempts. Clayton Jr. proved his ability to score off the dribble from beyond the arc.

He would not be the first player to have trouble adjusting to the NBA 3-point line. Some players have struggled as rookies, only to make major strides as a sophomore or third-year player.

There were already stretches last season when Clayton Jr. looked like a possible long-term answer at point guard. At one point, his play had raised the question of whether he was emerging as Memphis' answer at the position.

If Clayton Jr. is one of those players who takes a second-year shooting leap, the Grizzlies could regret this decision in due time.

Alternatively, he may not. It's possible that Clayton Jr.'s poor rookie season is indicative of a career that will be underwhelming, but it feels like an unfair assumption.

It's also fair to note that the Grizzlies had limited roster spots. Someone had to be cut. Micah Peavy was the other recent casualty, and his roster spot had been in question for weeks. Perhaps I'd have looked at other options, but this was ultimately a judgment call.

Let's be honest: Clayton Jr. is unlikely to be a future All-Star. That falls under the "nothing is impossible, but" category. So, the sky is not falling because the Grizzlies released him.

Still, college-level 3-point shooting is typically indicative of future NBA shooting. It's possible — if not likely — that Clayton Jr. will be an above-average shooter within a couple of seasons.

There was enough belief in his upside that he was named Memphis' top breakout candidate entering the season, and earlier roster reporting had suggested he was expected to survive the Grizzlies' cuts.

Given that point guard is the only position where the Grizzlies need a clearer long-term picture, keeping Clayton Jr. in the mix felt like the smarter decision.

But it's too late now.