Florida Professional Athletes

Walter Clayton Jr. Makes Himself at Home in Dallas

Less than a week after being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on October 19th, Walter Clayton Jr. was suiting up for the Dallas Mavericks — and making Memphis look foolish for letting him go.

In his second game with the club, a 113-109 win over the Miami Heat on Monday, Clayton erupted off the bench for 15 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and a block in 17 minutes, finishing with a blistering +22 plus/minus. It was the kind of performance that doesn't just win you minutes — it wins you trust. For a Mavericks team in need of a reliable backup guard, Clayton answered the door loudly.

The Gainesville product showed he wasn't a one-night wonder either. Two days later against the Thunder, Clayton dished out 5 assists in 14 minutes in a 120-96 blowout win, posting another solid +11. By Saturday against Houston — a tighter 116-111 Dallas victory — his role was more limited (8 minutes, 3 points), but the early returns are clear: the Mavericks have found something. Clayton's Florida pedigree travels well.

Al Horford and Will Richard Ride Warriors Wave

Two Gators are sharing a locker room in Golden State, and both contributed to a strong week for the Warriors.

Al Horford missed time early in the week — he was among the veterans held out during a back-to-back stretch that dropped Golden State to 0-3 — but returned Monday against Denver and delivered his best outing of the young season: 11 points, 3 rebounds, and a +14 in 18 minutes in a commanding 134-114 blowout of the Nuggets. By Saturday against the Lakers, his night was quieter: 3 points and 2 rebounds in 16 minutes, finishing with a -14.

Will Richard had the more eye-catching moment of the week. On Sunday against Phoenix, the second-year wing logged 31 minutes and put up 11 points, 2 steals, and a block — a sign that he's carved out real rotation minutes. He followed that with a quieter Thursday against Minnesota but bounced back Saturday in a 112-95 win over the Lakers, posting a sparkling +20 in 13 minutes. The Warriors are reportedly dangling Richard in trade scenarios involving Shaedon Sharpe, but for now, he's producing on the floor.

Around the Rest of the Gator NBA Universe

Elsewhere, Dorian Finney-Smith has been getting spot minutes for Atlanta, appearing in multiple games this week with modest contributions — his most notable moment being a +4 in 3 minutes during the Hawks' Saturday loss to the Pelicans.

Alijah Martin (Raptors) showed flashes across two games against the Magic, logging a pair of solid cameos with a combined 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. Zyon Pullin is still working his way into Minnesota's rotation with limited minutes. Colin Castleton saw the floor in all three of the Magic's games this week, including a brief appearance in Sunday's win over the Knicks.

Tre Mann suited up for Washington across three games this week, though his stat lines were thin — the Wizards lost two of three, including a blowup Monday against Charlotte. Bradley Beal remained sidelined for the Clippers as the team continues to navigate an injury-shortened early schedule.

Seven Gators. Seven different NBA zip codes. Not a bad week for Gainesville.

Walter Clayton Jr.: From Memphis Casualty to Dallas Maverick

Walter Clayton Jr.'s path to an NBA roster this season looked shaky for about 72 hours — then Dallas stepped in.

The former Florida star and 2025 consensus All-American was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, October 20, as the league's final roster-cut deadline hit at 5 p.m. ET. The move stunned NBA fans who had watched Clayton — the Final Four Most Outstanding Player who led the Gators to the 2025-26 NCAA national championship — get drafted 18th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Memphis had fielded trade interest in Clayton before ultimately cutting him, a decision that drew widespread criticism and left many questioning whether the Grizzlies would regret it.

They may not have to wait long to find out. The Dallas Mavericks claimed Clayton off waivers and signed him to a two-way contract, with ESPN's Shams Charania first reporting the deal. Dallas handed him his Mavericks debut on October 23 against the Indiana Pacers — a 121-105 win in which Clayton posted a +3 plus/minus in his new uniform. His NBA dream, briefly in limbo, is very much alive.

Also in Dallas: fellow Gator Alex Fudge remains on the Mavericks roster as Clayton joins the fold, giving Florida two representatives in Big D.

Around the League

The Clayton saga dominated the Gator NBA news cycle, but several other Florida alumni were active across the opening week.

Will Richard made a quiet case for himself in Golden State. The rookie logged 20 minutes in the Warriors' season-opening loss to the Lakers on October 22, putting up 8 points, 5 rebounds, and a steal. He followed that with 3 minutes and a +5 plus/minus in a narrow 108-111 loss to the Grizzlies on Saturday. Yahoo Sports' Warriors season preview flagged Richard as someone the team will ask to play beyond his years — early returns suggest he's taking that seriously.

Al Horford, meanwhile, is grinding through his first season with Golden State at 40. He logged 17 minutes against the Lakers (−13) and 19 minutes against Memphis (3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, −2). After the Lakers loss, Steph Curry publicly addressed Horford's role, a signal that the veteran center remains part of the Warriors' rotation calculus even as they search for answers.

Bradley Beal couldn't get on the floor for the Clippers' season opener against Sacramento — he was ruled out due to injury, one of five Clippers unavailable as the franchise opened the post-Kawhi Leonard era. It's an inauspicious start for a player still trying to prove his health and value on a new roster.

Colin Castleton (Magic) flashed 7 points and 2 rebounds in just 3 minutes against Minnesota on October 23. Dorian Finney-Smith chipped in 3 points and a +8 in 8 minutes as Atlanta routed Charlotte 128-81. Tre Mann suited up for Washington's 112-102 loss to Toronto. Alijah Martin appeared briefly for the Raptors in both of their games this week.

The story of the week belongs to Clayton — a player who went from roster casualty to a team with legitimate playoff aspirations in the span of a few days. For Florida fans, it's a redemption arc worth watching all season.

Two Florida Gators are making headlines as the NBA's 2026-27 season tips off — one cementing his role as a veteran anchor, the other facing an uncertain roster fate before the regular season even begins.

Horford Is Golden State's Steadying Force

Al Horford is doing what 40-year-old Al Horford does: making everyone around him better and keeping things calm when they're anything but.

With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined by an unspecified illness and still absent from the Warriors' preseason entirely, Horford has emerged as Golden State's de facto starting center alongside Draymond Green — two players who, combined, bring 35 years of NBA experience to a roster leaning heavily on youth. Head coach Steve Kerr has made clear the starting lineup will be matchup-dependent, but Horford and Green figure to anchor it on most nights.

Horford hasn't just been playing well. He's been talking well, too. At a recent press conference, the Gator legend offered a pointed endorsement of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, praising the young big man's reads and decision-making under pressure — exactly the kind of veteran mentorship Golden State is counting on him to provide. In the Warriors' preseason finale against Portland, Horford was part of a vibrant "uncles" core alongside Steph Curry and Green that closed out camp on an encouraging note.

With Porzingis' status still murky and no timeline offered by the organization, Horford isn't waiting for answers. He's already operating like the guy in charge — because, right now, he is.

Clayton Jr. Caught in Memphis' Roster Crunch

Walter Clayton Jr.'s path in Memphis has hit an abrupt detour. The Grizzlies, carrying 16 fully guaranteed contracts and one partially guaranteed deal heading into the week of October 19 — the NBA's deadline to cut rosters to 15 — have begun exploring trade options, and Clayton Jr. is squarely in the mix.

Per insider Jake Fischer, Memphis has been examining trade possibilities involving Clayton Jr. and GG Jackson II, with the Warriors and Heat among the teams mentioned in connection to those discussions. The Grizzlies have a narrow window to resolve the crunch, and the rookie guard out of Florida finds himself at the center of it through no fault of his own.

Whether Clayton Jr. stays in Memphis, lands elsewhere, or gets squeezed off a roster entirely remains unresolved. But the situation serves as a sharp reminder of how quickly the business of basketball can override the basketball itself — especially for players on the roster bubble in the final days before opening night.

Also Watching: Beal's Injury Status

Bradley Beal, now with the Clippers, is on the injury report as Los Angeles enters its preseason finale shorthanded. Beal is among a group of Clippers — including Brandon Ingram and Max Strus — dealing with ailments ahead of the regular season opener. No further details on the severity or expected timeline were provided by the organization.

For Gator fans tracking the alumni circuit, the week delivers a fitting range: a veteran proving he's still essential, a prospect navigating the league's cold arithmetic, and a star trying to stay healthy enough to play.

Two Florida Gators alumni are making NBA headlines this preseason — for all the wrong reasons. Al Horford is thrust into a starring role he didn't ask for, while Bradley Beal is once again fighting to prove his body can hold up for a full season.

Horford Anchors Golden State Amid Porzingis Chaos

Concern around Kristaps Porzingis has been building all week in Golden State. The Warriors center was absent from Media Day and has remained away from the team's Hawaii training camp due to an undisclosed illness, with no recovery timeline in sight. Into the breach steps Horford, whom head coach Steve Kerr has named the starting center — a vote of confidence for the 39-year-old veteran, who then promptly delivered a statement of his own about Porzingis's situation, signaling the team's collective focus on moving forward.

The role didn't come without its own drama. Horford was scratched late ahead of Golden State's preseason clash with the Lakers on October 6 due to a left knee contusion, sending Warriors fans briefly spiraling. ESPN's Anthony Slater quickly tamped down the alarm, putting the injury in the minor category — a lucky break given the center depth crisis already surrounding the franchise. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg slid into the starting spot and delivered in a 124–98 win, but the episode underscored just how thin Golden State's frontcourt is right now. Horford's health isn't optional.

The Florida product's steady presence and willingness to step into a leadership vacuum is vintage Horford — a player whose value has always been more about reliability than flash.

Beal's Clippers Tenure Already Under a Cloud

In Los Angeles, Bradley Beal's fresh start with the Clippers is already looking fragile. The latest injury update on the former All-Star has Sports Illustrated raising the question of whether the Clippers are already second-guessing the signing. Beal played just six games last season due to a left hip injury, and the recovery process left him shaken enough that he admitted — in his own words — he thought his NBA career was over.

Speaking to The OC Register's Janis Carr, Beal described the fear that crept in during his rehabilitation, a candid acknowledgment of how serious the situation became. Now, with a new team and a new season around the corner, the injury cloud hasn't fully lifted. The Clippers are banking on a healthy, motivated Beal to justify the commitment — but the preseason prognosis is already dimming that outlook.

For Gators fans, it's a difficult watch: one of Florida's most decorated NBA alumni fighting to recapture relevance while his body keeps raising objections.

Elsewhere in Gator Nation

Tre Mann is making noise in Washington, revealing his plans to force his way into the Wizards' rotation with an evolved game in a fluid bench role — a developing storyline worth watching as the season tips off. The rest of Florida's NBA contingent, including Walter Clayton Jr. (Grizzlies), Dorian Finney-Smith (Hawks), and Will Richard (Warriors), are working through their respective preseasons without notable injury concerns through this period.

The early returns for Gator alumni in the NBA: complicated. Horford is showing up when called upon. Beal just needs his body to do the same.