Walter Clayton Jr. is already making it difficult for the Mavericks to overlook him

Now that's a breakout performance. In the Dallas Mavericks' 113-109 win over the Miami Heat, two-way signee Walter Clayton Jr. put up 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two 3-pointers while pacing the team in plus/minus at plus-22. After being waived and settling for a two-way contract all within the past week, Clayton wasted little time making his presence felt with his stellar showing against Miami.

Walter Clayton Jr. wasted little time proving he belongs

Despite playing for his third team in less than a year, Clayton looked poised and confident. The former Florida Gator never looked rushed, getting to his spots with relative ease and appearing to be a seamless fit with the team that signed him mere days ago.

Clayton scored from all over the floor, knocking down spot-up triples, floaters, and finishing at the rim in traffic. For his first extended action with the Mavericks, it really looked like Clayton had spent the entire summer playing alongside his new teammates. He even dished out four assists and did a terrific job relocating after making a pass to grease the offensive wheels.

With Marcus Sasser and rookie Sergio De Larrea impressing in Dallas' first three contests, it was easy to overlook Clayton, especially after a rebuilding team had just cut him. Sure, Dallas likely viewed the former first-round pick as a high-upside signing, but few expected him to contribute this early in the season.

Nonetheless, here we are. Following Clayton's standout performance against the Heat, Dallas won't be able to overlook the 23-year-old guard. That's not to say Clayton deserves a sizeable role following one good game, but it's a reminder that he does, in fact, have talent.

Mavericks' backcourt depth is already looking more promising

Going into the season, the Mavericks' backcourt was a major concern. It consisted of little more than Kyrie Irving, who's still working his way back to full game speed following his ACL tear, Sasser, and De Larrea, with Zaccharie Risacher and Max Christie also in the mix at shooting guard. Reading those names alone... yikes.

Now, with Clayton's strong showing, Dallas has seen Sasser, De Larrea, and Clayton all record games with 15 or more points, all within the first week. The Mavericks' backcourt went from an afterthought to almost a strength. The early returns have been encouraging, and Clayton's performance only adds to the intrigue.

Clayton's debut could be the start of something bigger in Dallas

Even with his two-way contract limiting him to 50 NBA games, Clayton can't be overlooked. The NBA is flush with talent, and sometimes, not even first-rounders can stick around with the team that invested in them. That's what happened to Clayton, setting off a chain of events that took him from the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player in 2025 to an NBA afterthought in 2026.

Again, one impressive performance doesn't guarantee Clayton a consistent role with the Mavericks. But with Dallas searching for reliable backcourt depth, he couldn't have picked a better time to make his case. Clayton still has plenty to prove (it's still only October!), but after his performance against Miami, there's little reason to overlook what he could bring to the table.

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