Walter Clayton Jr. could be one of the Memphis Grizzlies' final roster cuts, but moving on from the second-year guard could prove costly.
Sophomore guard Walter Clayton Jr. is seen as a potential candidate to be cut by the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason. Could the Grizzlies regret letting go of him?
NBA decisions can be difficult to make. The Grizzlies have a roster glut. There are 19 players on the active roster, and they need to cut that number down to 15 before the regular season begins.
Kris Murray, Micah Peavy, and D'Angelo Russell feel like no-brainers - all for different reasons. After that, it's hard to identify the fourth cut. It's going to be one of Clayton Jr. or guard Jordan Hawkins.
The Grizzlies just acquired Hawkins after long-standing rumoured interest in him. It's entirely possible that this was a roster-cutting move, and they only landed Hawkins to add the second-round draft capital that came with him, but given their prior interest, it feels unlikely. So, Clayton could be the odd man out.
Would cutting him be a mistake?
Grizzlies Could Regret Cutting Clayton Jr.
It's a difficult call.
In 24 games with the Grizzlies last year, Clayton Jr. averaged 9.7 points and 5.7 assists per game. Those are strong numbers for a rookie.
Interestingly, as a prospect, Clayton Jr. was supposed to be a shot creator. During his rookie year, his 30.7% shooting from long-range said otherwise. Clayton Jr. was a surprisingly gifted passer, but scoring proved a challenge for him as a rookie.
That's unfortunate, but it's far from fatal. Rookies have a tendency to struggle in their first season. Clayton Jr.'s efficiency may skyrocket as a sophomore, or even a third-year player.
If the Grizzlies cut him, that would sting. Losing a player for nothing who ends up being valuable is never ideal.
That said, if Memphis has more faith in Hawkins, they won't have another choice.
Grizzlies Face Difficult Decision
Hawkins' NBA story so far has been similar to Clayton Jr.'s. He was billed as a shotmaker as a prospect, but at the NBA level, he's been inefficient.
The difference is that Hawkins hasn't established himself as a playmaker, but on the plus side, his inefficiency has been far less problematic. He's shot 34.8% from deep through three seasons, and given his shot diet, that's pretty close to acceptable.
Neither guard is guaranteed to find NBA success, and both have potential. Ultimately, the Grizzlies can only go with their gut. There are no guarantees here, so they need to pick whichever player they have more faith in, and commit to him. If they make the wrong choice, they can only live with it:
Even if the choice is to cut Clayton Jr.
