Wizards Should Monitor Grizzlies' Chopping Block Candidates Amidst Continued Free Agency Hunt

The Washington Wizards could bring a former technical-alumnus back to D.C.- just not the one most fans may instantly think of.

Nov 10, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Walter Clayton Jr. (13) looks to pass against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We're approaching the last few weeks before NBA teams commence their respective training camps, a much-needed light at the end of the offseason's tunnel.

Lineups are inching closer to looking regular season-ready, and while some teams like the Washington Wizards and their 14 presently-rostered pieces need not worry about any dramatic cuts, their more obviously-crowded neighbors have more to manage on their own plates.

Take the Memphis Grizzlies, for example. They've remained active late in the summer in continually adding fringe-bets to their young corps, acquiring former New Orleans Pelicans shooter Jordan Hawkins along with a few draft assets this week. It was a worthy gamble considering how little he cost and the gifts he came bearing, but it brought their own standard big-league roster to 19 names- four over the maximum.

Walter Clayton Jr., D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Hawkins and Kris Murray are likely the group of players that could be waived by the Memphis Grizzlies in order to meet the 15-man roster compliance standards, per @JakeLFischer on @BleacherReport.

(via https://t.co/PUmaLi1qdL) pic.twitter.com/yeKjVQqImR

— APHoops (@APH00PS) September 8, 2026

That means Hawkins, along with few other players on the Grizzlies' margins, find themselves in a particularly-expendable jam while their franchise ponders their next moves.

The Wizards and their still-vacant 15th-man role could indulge themselves in stealing a peak at whatever the Grizzlies are offering, and their eyes will likely be drawn to the biggest name on the list: D'Angelo Russell. The forgotten member of the 2025-26 Wizards was a technical-contributor to the team in the most quote-unquote way possible, joining Anthony Davis in a midseason-blockbuster before choosing to collect his remaining paychecks away from the team.

The two parties likely have minimal interest in reuniting with one another, but the team should instead consider another cut candidate. Walter Clayton Jr., someone with Wizards ties of his own dating back to a fateful hat switch on draft night, has much more to gain out of a fresh start in Washington than the grizzled veteran.

Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Walter Clayton Jr. stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 18th pick by the Washington Wizards in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Having Their Cake and Eating it Too

The manner in which the Wizards' handled Clayton, the 18th pick from the 2025 NBA Draft, quickly went down as one of the great trades of the front office's short stint at the organization's helm.

The Jazz were enamored with Clayton's shot-making upside, viewing his 22-year-old draft night status as a positive considering how confidently he'd stepped into the role of the leading scorer on an NCAA Tournament-winning Florida championship team. For the right to invite him aboard their own rebuild, they handed the Wizards the rights to the Nos. 21 and 43 picks of that same draft.

Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) celebrates after winning the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Wizards gladly spun that package into a few young talents of their own, adding Will Riley and Jamir Watkins to their own talent pool that same night.

It would have already gone down as a win for Washington had Riley and Watkins been good foundational pieces, even if Clayton had stuck it out as a Jazzman. But a Utahn he is no longer; while Clayton couldn't even survive the trade deadline, getting roped into the Jaren Jackson Jr. exchange, Riley blossomed into a foundational playmaking talent while the older Watkins made a name for himself as one of the best hustling defenders in the game.

Mar 19, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (5) has shot blocked by Washington Wizards guard Jamir Watkins (5) and guard Will Riley (27) during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, should the Wizards want to delve back into the Clayton business all on their own, they may very well enjoy the opportunity to pair him up with Riley and Watkins free of cost- assuming the Grizzlies opt to part ways with a struggling first round talent a year into his professional career.

How Does Clayton Fit These Wizards?

The older guard would have been something of an odd-fitting contributor within the Wizards' much-talked-about young corps, as he more-closely resembled a finished product than most of their previous upside swings. And when we account for the fact that the squad had selected Tre Johnson, another scoring guard, just an hour before the Clayton draft-and-swap, he'd have been slightly-redundant in their blooming lineup.

WALTER CLAYTON JR. IS NASTY! 🔥

With Clayton potentially being waived, there’s already been some talk about bringing the Florida native to Miami. Just look at his ABILITY to score! 😤 pic.twitter.com/N3KuwOk8wB

— Heat Zone (@HeatlesZone) September 9, 2026

That logic belongs to a different timeline than the one that the Wizards have gone on to adopt. Now that they've spurned the Jazz once again in winning the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, thereby granting them the right to bring AJ Dybantsa aboard their ship, they clearly have no problem enabling older contributors like Davis and Trae Young with the prospect of chasing nightly wins surging to the organization's forefront.

Rounding out the Wizards' back court rotation is where Clayton has the chance to finally earn some professional stability, even if they just traded for another veteran guard in Tre Mann within the last month. He may have the experience edge over the rising sophomore, but Clayton's untapped shooting upside makes him much more of a wild card than the similarly-inefficient Mann.

Mar 20, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Walter Clayton Jr. (4) shoots during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He averaged 37.6% from distance on 7.4 3-point attempts a game over two seasons at Florida, regularly getting hot in a hurry with his knack for draining contested looks at the basket. That play style will be prone to variance, though, and bigger defenses have knocked the guard on his behind in limiting him to 38.4% from the field, 50.2% true shooting and 30.7% from behind the arc between his combined Utah and Memphis stints.

The theoretical version of Clayton could be a huge scoring boost off of Washington's bench whenever Young hits the bench, someone who doesn't require another set-up point guard to spoon feed him spot-up opportunities as much as he, too, needs capable defenders at his sides.

Unfortunately, he's presently behind on his development, an especially-discouraging note considering that he'd be the oldest prospect of the bunch with the Wizards. The combination of his poor perimeter output and minimal attempts at the rim make for a tougher sell, but if the franchise is looking for their best bet to add someone with more raw playmaking juice than most of their reserve alternatives, the talented Clayton may be worth a flier in the event of a soon-to-be-announced cut.

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