If the Miami Heat were looking for a subtle opportunity to move on from Dru Smith, the surprise cut of Walter Clayton Jr. may have provided the team with just that.
Miami has had previous interest in Clayton Jr. as a prospect, and he offers a developmental project (that may even be ready to contribute some now) whose ceiling is much higher than Smith's. If the Heat are looking for a way to swap in a rotation player in the backcourt with more potential, because of their concerns about their depth behind Davion Mitchell, this could be the move they've been waiting for.
And with a 15th roster spot still open, this is a move that the Heat could make relatively easily. Even if they're not ready to completley cut bait with Smith.
Why the Heat should consider signing Walter Clayton Jr.
The consideration of such a move isn't necessarily about Smith as a player. In theory, he represents a lot of what Erik Spoelstra and the Heat look for in a depth piece. He's reliable. He's a hard worker. And he's willing to do all the little things. He's just not great in any one particular area. And that has limited his potential as a player.
But the problem with Smith is not even just his limitations, which are evident.
It's the fact that he's being asked to fill a role that may be above his pay grade. Smith has a place as an NBA rotation piece, but he shouldn't be any team's primary backup point guard. Clayton Jr., on the other hand, could be. Almost six years younger than Smith, at 23 years old, Clayton Jr. at least still has the potential to reach that level.
He's likely not 100 percent there yet. If he were, he probably wouldn't have been waived by the rebuilding Grizzlies, but he certainly has the potential to be just that. In the right system, there's reason to believe that Clayton Jr. can be a real change-of-pace backup that the Heat is looking for behind Mitchell. A role that, with all due respect, Smith just isn't built to fulfill.
With just one guaranteed year left on his contract and a team option for next year, the Heat may have just gotten an early out on Smith if they want it. Clayton Jr. gives Miami the best of both worlds in many respects.
He could likely fill the minutes that Spoelstra is expecting to give Smith while also offering the upside of a young, promising guard they can see thrive in their developmental system.
Would the Heat make such a big change this close to the start of the regular season? It remains to be seen, and that may be put to the test over the next couple of days. But if the Heat are looking to make an upgrade in the backcourt, Clayton Jr. clearly gives them the opportunity.
Add us as a preferred source on Google