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The Memphis Grizzlies are parting ways with guard Walter Clayton Jr. and guard/forward Micah Peavy, according to multiple reports. The moves come as Memphis finalizes its roster ahead of Monday's opening-night deadline, a process that forced several tough decisions.
One player who emerges as a clear beneficiary of these roster cuts is Kris Murray. Murray was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers on June 29, along with Jerami Grant, in the blockbuster deal that sent Ja Morant to Portland. Initially, Murray's chances of making the opening-night roster appeared slim, and they seemed even less likely after Memphis added Peavy and Jordan Hawkins from the New Orleans Pelicans.
However, Peavy suffered an ankle injury early in training camp, effectively ending his bid for a roster spot. The Grizzlies and Hawkins later mutually agreed to part ways, further clearing the path for Murray. After a strong preseason on the defensive end and a lackluster stretch for Clayton dating back to last season, Murray secured a roster spot over the 2025 first-round pick.
Murray brings valuable positional size at 6-foot-8 and is a versatile perimeter defender. In Memphis' final preseason game against Charlotte, he was intentionally placed in the starting lineup alongside the regular starters. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo said after the game that the team wanted to get a real look at Murray playing with the team's best players. That decision proved telling regarding Memphis' plans for its final roster spot, and it came to fruition on Monday.
Key Analysis
Javon Small, a two-way point guard, also benefits from Memphis' roster moves. Based on last season's results, Small being on the 2026-27 roster instead of Clayton is not a major surprise. Small's two-way deal certainly helps his case, but he also outperformed Clayton last season. The rookie averaged 9.7 points and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 42.3 percent from three and bringing high-level effort and energy defensively. Small also had a strong summer league, so he did nothing to jeopardize his roster spot, and Clayton's departure only helps his standing.
For Clayton, the start to his career has been disappointing, to say the least. Entering the draft, skeptics questioned his lack of high-level athleticism, especially relative to his size. At 6-foot-3, he is locked into playing the point, but he is also a score-first-minded player. Clayton's path to a productive NBA career includes developing as a facilitator. He showed flashes of that last season, but the bigger problem was that his "guaranteed" traits did not pan out. After being the best shot maker in college basketball in 2024-25, he shot just 38.4 percent from the field as a rookie and 30.7 percent from three. If Clayton is not knocking down shots, it is tough to see where positive value could come from.
The 2025 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player is still just 23 years old and is not that far removed from an all-time great tournament run at Florida. He will likely get a chance elsewhere to carve out a role, even if it is as a two-way player for the time being. Despite being part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade with the Utah Jazz, Clayton's time in Memphis is being cut short.