Somehow, it still doesn't feel real that Jaren Jackson Jr. is playing for another team besides the Memphis Grizzlies. Despite signing a five-year, $240 million contract extension last summer, Jaren Jackson Jr. was traded to the Utah Jazz just two days before this season's trade deadline. It is still too early to strongly judge the trade, but one key aspect is already going wrong for the Grizzlies.
The main goal of trading Jaren Jackson Jr. was to create flexibility and get more draft capital for the rebuild, which has been accomplished. As far as players go, Georges Niang was waived almost right away, and Kyle Anderson was eventually bought out since he wanted to go win.
This leaves the Grizzlies with two young players and former first-round picks in Taylor Hendricks and Walter Clayton Jr. Taylor Hendricks has looked very promising despite suffering a major injury last season and should feature in the Grizzlies' long-term plans.
The hope was for Walter Clayton Jr. to be a boost to a point guard position loaded with depth already. However, despite Clayton Jr. being a rookie and the sample size not being huge, the struggles are a major concern.
Walter Clayton Jr. has not found a rhythm on offense
Walter Clayton Jr. really burst onto the scene as a senior at Florida and was the biggest reason why the Florida Gators won the 2025 National Championship. His impressive shotmaking and ability to thrive in the pressure of the clutch helped significantly boost his draft stock. Clayton Jr. was selected 18th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, but it's been a tough rookie season for him, especially since being traded to Memphis.
The biggest strength of Clayton Jr. heading into the draft was his shooting ability. Unfortunately, it has actually been his shooting that has badly let him down in Memphis. 12 games is not a large sample size at all, but it is surprising how much he has struggled. Clayton Jr. is shooting just 35.6% from the field and a shocking 23.3% from three.
Clayton Jr.'s future in Memphis will be worth monitoring soon
Despite showcasing improved playmaking since coming to Memphis, Clayton Jr. has turned the ball over more, and his shooting struggles have prevented him from making more of an impact. Even as a rookie, the pressure is growing due to the fact that the Grizzlies have a logjam of guards. Not only that, second-round pick Javon Small has significantly outplayed Walter Clayton Jr. since the trade.
With questions surrounding Ja Morant's future in Memphis and the guards on the roster, Clayton Jr. needs a strong finish to the season to cement himself in the Grizzlies' future plans. Clayton Jr. snapping out of his shooting slump could still make him a valuable player. However, given how bold it was to trade Jaren Jackson Jr. despite extending him just months before, it is a bad development for the Grizzlies to see Clayton Jr. struggling the way he has.
As a result of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, the Grizzlies have a war chest of draft picks for their rebuild, and Taylor Hendricks has shown signs of being a real contributor for the Grizzlies. Those winning aspects of the trade matter, but Walter Clayton Jr. has failed to capitalize on his opportunities in Memphis.