Walter Clayton Jr. is the final piece of the Mavericks' backcourt puzzle

Before the 2026-27 season began, many Dallas Mavericks fans were worried about the team's backcourt depth behind Kyrie Irving. Dallas had only added Sergio De Larrea and Marcus Sasser in the offseason, a rookie and a player who averaged 12.0 minutes per game last year, to address their need for more depth in the backcourt, but both of these players have exceeded expectations so far.

De Larrea and Sasser walked so Walter Clayton Jr. could run

De Larrea had his best game of the season last weekend, as he finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists against the San Antonio Spurs. He was knocking down threes and utilizing his floater inside the paint, and Marcus Sasser has been a reliable option off the bench as well. His shooting and shot creation have been crucial for Dallas so far, but the addition of Walter Clayton Jr. to this group is what should have Mavs fans excited.

De Larrea and Sasser were a fun start to the Mavericks' young core of guards, but Clayton looks extremely promising as well. He was the missing piece to this group due to his ability to run the offense while also being able to create his own shot, and Dallas' young backcourt is much more balanced now.

Kyrie is obviously the head of the snake. He will likely remain the team's starter for as long as he's on the team, but the play of the guys behind him is quite important as well. Irving missed all of last season with a torn ACL, and while he has played well thus far, there are naturally going to be games that he misses, is out of the lineup, or struggles.

Clayton's breakout is impossible to ignore

This is why the play of Sasser, Clayton, and De Larrea is so important, and Clayton made his presence known on Monday night. He finished with 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists against the Miami Heat, helping Dallas claw out a 113-109 win and improve to 2-2.

Clayton looked comfortable with the ball in his hands, as he did a good job of spreading the ball to his teammates and creating his own shot off the dribble. He was getting to the rim and his mid-range pull-up jumper with ease, and his 3-point shooting off the catch was strong as well.

Clayton has a real shot at sticking in Dallas

The young guard is a gamer, and the fact that the Mavs didn't have to give up anything to sign him to a two-way deal is shocking. He was a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after helping lead Florida to a National Championship. Clayton was a high-profile prospect coming out of college, and his game last night proved that he can ball out on the biggest stage as well for Dallas.

The Mavericks' backcourt needed one more player who can create for themselves and run the offense, and Clayton looks like the solution to that hole. He looks worthy of a standard contract after just a few games, and he could quickly establish himself as a key piece of Dallas' core if he continues to play this well.

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