The Utah Jazz reeled in a big fish with Jaren Jackson Jr. back in February. It's pretty self-explanatory for why the Jazz made this deal when they did, but as more time has gone on, it's become pretty clear why the Memphis Grizzlies liked their offer: the picks they offered them. That couldn't be clearer following the latest news that they might waive Walter Clayton Jr.
For more context, NBA Insider Jake Fischer revealed on his latest live stream for Bleacher Report that Clayton is among the candidates to be waived by the Grizzlies to trim the roster from 19 to 15, alongside D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Hawkins, and Kris Murray.
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After the trade happened, it was clear Taylor Hendricks' stock was on the rise while Clayton's was on the decline. Memphis potentially waiving Clayton suggests the Grizzlies were primarily interested in the draft assets Utah sent them in exchange for JJJ, not the young players.
In all honesty, getting that top-four protected pick from the Lakers for next season along with the Suns' 2031 unprotected pick has quite a bit of value, which could help a team like the Grizzlies rebuild the right way.
It's clear Memphis may have wanted to see if Hendricks and Clayton could bring them something long-term, and Clayton may have shown enough for them to think it's not worth it.
Jazz also traded Clayton at the right time
The JJJ trade helped the Jazz cut down on their surplus of young players before it became a problem. It's clear from trading Clayton, only for him to be potentially waived, that his value has plummeted quite swiftly in just a year's time.
It's ironic because Utah took him out of precaution due to Keyonte George's understandably concerning sophomore slump. Evidently, George took it to heart and now he's seen as one of the Jazz's cornerstones going forward while Clayton's NBA career is on thin ice until he proves otherwise.
It's a shame about Clayton because he was a cool story before he came to the NBA. He was a college hero who wasn't seen as much of an NBA prospect until his Cinderella run with Florida got them an NCAA title. He had enough appeal that Utah traded up for him.
But now, it's become clear he's not the player Utah hoped he would be. It's very possible that he may survive Memphis' cuts (or they might trade him instead), but it's another example of why the Jazz look even smarter for trading for JJJ when they had the chance.
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