Mavericks have plenty of time to solve their Walter Clayton Jr. dilemma

Walter Clayton Jr.'s emergence has been one of the Dallas Mavericks' biggest stories as of late. Despite being on a two-way contract, Clayton is averaging 6.8 points and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and an impressive 57.1 percent from long range.

He had his best game of the season on Monday night against the Sacramento Kings, as he finished with 20 points, two assists, and one steal, and shot 6-of-9 overall and 4-of-5 from downtown. Dusty May leaned on Clayton as his primary backup point guard while Kyrie Irving was sidelined, and Clayton's strong start to the season has made some Mavs fans concerned about his long-term future with the team due to his two-way eligibility.

Walter Clayton Jr.'s eligibility shouldn't concern the Mavericks yet

Two-way players can only be active for 50 games for their NBA team, and with Clayton's importance to the Mavs' offense, he is a crucial piece for Dallas — especially when Kyrie sits. This makes converting him to a standard contract important, as this ensures that he will be available for the team during the later stages of the season.

Mavs fans know how two-way players' eligibility can become a dilemma, as Jason Kidd had to use Kessler Edwards' games sparingly at the end of the 2024-25 season. He was a key piece of their rotation, but since he could only be active for 50 games, Kidd couldn't play him every night.

Despite the obvious risk that comes with playing Clayton every game, the Mavericks don't need to search for a pathway to create a spot on the 15-man roster for Clayton any time soon.

He still has 43 games of eligibility, and assuming Dallas plays him every game moving forward, he won't run out of games until February 7 of next year. This is four days before the trade deadline, and the Mavs have plenty of time to evaluate their roster, gauge Clayton's long-term fit, and make a move to free up a roster spot for him.

Dallas has plenty of time to find Clayton a roster spot

Dallas should not be in a rush to create a roster spot for him, and they might as well use up all of his two-way eligibility before making a decision.

Clayton has certainly looked worthy of a standard contract. He is one of the Mavs' only true point guards and has been a top shooter on the team. Dallas should look to make him a key piece of their future, but not now.

Clayton has proven he deserves a standard contract

The former Florida Gator was a first-round pick in 2025 for a reason, as he played a pivotal role for his team and helped lead them to a National Championship. The shot-making and playmaking that he displayed at Florida have already been on display since the Mavericks signed him last month, and the fact that they got him on a two-way deal is tremendous value.

Still, the Mavs have nothing to rush into.

They can look to make a move at the trade deadline to free up a roster spot, and if that doesn't happen, they can potentially cut someone to make sure Clayton can continue playing. The shot creation, playmaking, and floor spacing he brings are already looking invaluable for a young team looking to get over the hump.

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