Clayton Jr. ignites Grizzlies' offense, tying Morant's assist record and showcasing playmaking. Can his game elevate Memphis' future?
The Memphis Grizzlies are not expected to move forward with Ja Morant. By all indications, they'd have moved him at the deadline if they could. At one time, Morant was the team's franchise player. Now, he hasn't retained enough value to find a reasonable deal.
For a while, it was unclear what Memphis would do at the point guard position. They had several potential Morant replacements, but nobody had emerged as a clear candidate. Those days are gone: Walter Clayton Jr. is the point guard of the future.
Barring any unexpected developments, that is.
The Grizzlies should have a lottery pick in the upcoming draft. It would not be wise to let Clayton Jr. dictate their choice. The Grizzlies should take whoever they feel is the best prospect on the board.
If that prospect isn't a point guard, Clayton Jr. should have as strong a chance of manning the position moving forward as anyone.
He just tied Morant's Grizzlies franchise record by dropping 14 assists against the Pacers. Moreover, his playmaking is reflected in his season-long production. Clayton Jr. is averaging 11.7 points and 8.9 assists per 75 possessions in 2025-26.
He's not flawless. Clayton Jr. is shooting 20.7% from long range in 2025-26. That's an untenable mark. The recent history of non-shooting lead guards is not encouraging.
That said, the Grizzlies do not know what their future roster will look like. If they land a stretch five, Clayton Jr.'s shooting could be workable. Moreover, it's worth noting that he connected on 38.6% of the triples he attempted during his last year of college ball. His poor NBA percentages may be indicative of the limited time he's had to find his rhythm from NBA range.
Otherwise, Clayton is 6-foot-4 and generally a solid defender. If he can either find a jumper or the Grizzlies can find the roster to offset his bad jumper, he could run point for Memphis moving forward.
Should that start now?
That depends on how this organization is thinking. Ja Morant should be good to go soon. His recovery is nearly done. That doesn't mean Memphis will — or should — bring him back.
If they want to play for draft position, they'll keep him on the bench. If they want to showcase him as a trade chip, they'll bring him back. As of now, it's difficult to predict what the Grizzlies will do with Morant.
Either way, they should keep Clayton in the rotation. More broadly, they should entertain him as the point guard of the future.
Once Morant is gone, the position should be his to take.