The Golden State Warriors couldn’t get Walter Clayton Jr. in the 2025 NBA draft. They now have another chance to pursue the guard without surrendering a draft pick.
The Memphis Grizzlies waived Clayton on Monday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, ending his tenure with the franchise less than nine months after acquiring him from Utah.
Memphis also waived Micah Peavy, trimming its roster to the league’s 15-player limit before the regular season.
For Golden State, the development is worth watching.
The Warriors were among the teams that rated Clayton highly before the 2025 draft but did not have a first-round selection after trading it to Miami in the Jimmy Butler deal.
Now, the former Florida standout is available through the waiver process.
Warriors Could Revisit Interest in Walter Clayton Jr.
NBA insider Jake Fischer identified Golden State and Miami as two teams that admired Clayton entering the 2025 draft.
“Other teams known to rate Clayton highly dating back to the draft: Golden State and Miami,” Fischer wrote in The Stein Line.
Clayton ultimately went 18th overall, two selections before Miami used the pick acquired from Golden State to select Illinois guard Kasparas Jakučionis.
The Warriors had reason to like his offensive potential.
Clayton helped Florida win the 2025 national championship, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors with his scoring, shooting and ability to deliver in pressure situations.
His rookie season, however, proved more difficult.
Clayton averaged 7.8 points, 4.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds across 69 games with Utah and Memphis, shooting 38.4% from the field and 30.7% from beyond the arc.
His production improved after joining Memphis in February, where he averaged 9.7 points and 5.7 assists in 24 appearances.
But the Grizzlies faced a roster crunch and could not find a trade before Monday’s deadline.
Sacramento emerged as a potential suitor earlier in the day, according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Fischer, although no agreement materialized.
Can Golden State Claim Clayton or Sign Him to Two-Way Contract?
Golden State has two potential avenues to pursue Clayton, although neither is straightforward.
A waiver claim would require the Warriors to absorb his existing rookie-scale contract, which carries a salary of approximately $4.19 million this season.
That presents a challenge for a team operating near the salary-cap aprons with its 15 standard roster spots already occupied.
The more realistic possibility could come after Clayton clears waivers.
If no team claims him, he would become a free agent Wednesday, allowing Golden State to negotiate a new deal.
A two-way contract would offer a lower-cost development opportunity, but the Warriors would first have to create an opening.
Golden State currently has Graham Ike, LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons occupying its three two-way spots.
The team could waive one of those players to make room, provided Clayton agrees to the arrangement.
There is no indication the Warriors have contacted Clayton or plan to make such a move.
Still, his release creates a different opportunity from the trade discussions that surfaced last week.
With Stephen Curry entering his 18th season and Brandin Podziemski signed to a long-term extension, Golden State must balance its immediate ambitions with its future backcourt needs.
Clayton would not be guaranteed a rotation role.
But for a franchise that liked him before the draft, the chance to acquire him without sacrificing another asset may be difficult to ignore.
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