Mavericks lead race for Walter Clayton Jr. off waivers

Memphis waived the second-year guard at Monday's roster deadline, and it took about a day for the next landing spot to come into view.

Marc Stein

@TheSteinLine

The Mavericks have emerged a leading contender to land Walter Clayton Jr. when he clears waivers, @TheSteinLine has learned.

That's quick work for a guy who was a national champion 18 months ago. Clayton led Florida to the title, went 18th overall to the Jazz in the 2025 draft, and then got moved to Memphis in February as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade. Across 69 games with both teams as a rookie he put up 7.8 points and 4.0 assists in 20.4 minutes a night, shooting.384 from the field and.307 from 3. Those are fine numbers for a rookie. They weren't enough to save a roster spot, though, when Memphis had 16 guaranteed contracts and could only keep 15.

Dallas has a fit, at least on paper. Stein laid out the roster math and the relationship angle that makes the Mavs the favorite:

Marc Stein

@TheSteinLine

Dallas currently has a full 15 standard contracts but also an open two-way roster spot after its recent release of John Poulakidas. I'm told Dusty May has a pre-existing relationship with Clayton after recruiting him in college. Clayton must clear waivers Wednesday at 5 PM ET.

Marc Stein

@TheSteinLine

The Mavericks have emerged a leading contender to land Walter Clayton Jr. when he clears waivers, @TheSteinLine has learned.

Dallas has 15 standard deals already, but cutting John Poulakidas opened a two-way spot, and Dusty May knowing Clayton from recruiting him in college counts for something with a player who just got dumped after 1 season. Wednesday at 5 PM ET is the date to circle. Clayton is owed about $4.2 million this year on his rookie-scale deal, and any team that claims him off waivers takes that on. Memphis is eating roughly $6.4 million in dead cap to let him go, and his 2027-28 option gets declined once he clears.

The Mavs aren't the only team in on him. Sacramento wanted Clayton badly enough to try trading for him over the weekend, and that deal never came together before the deadline.

Marc Stein

@TheSteinLine

The Kings also covet Walter Clayton Jr. after pursuing him via trade over the weekend, but league sources say it is understood now is that the former No. 18 overall pick is likely to land in Dallas if he clears waivers. More from @JakeLFischer and me: t.co/ND0wVC5Z8d

Marc Stein

@TheSteinLine

Dallas currently has a full 15 standard contracts but also an open two-way roster spot after its recent release of John Poulakidas. I'm told Dusty May has a pre-existing relationship with Clayton after recruiting him in college. Clayton must clear waivers Wednesday at 5 PM ET.

For now the Kings' interest is the only real threat to Dallas, and Stein's sources say the league already expects Clayton to end up a Mav. The waiver claim is the only way somebody jumps the line, and paying $4.2 million for a guy you can probably sign cheaper Thursday is a tough sell. Expect everyone to wait him out.

There's also a bigger question here about how fast teams give up on first-round picks now. Clayton went from champion to lottery-adjacent pick to waived in about a year and a half, and people who liked him coming out of Florida are already trying to figure out what that says about how the league drafts.

If Dallas lands him, Clayton gets a do-over with a coach who already knows him and a backcourt that has room for a guard who can run an offense and hit free throws at a 90% clip. Sometimes that's all a 2nd-year guy needs. We'll know Wednesday at 5 PM ET whether anybody blinks first.