Nique Clifford Opens Second Season Hunting Minutes in Crowded Kings Backcourt
Nique Clifford has started the 2026-27 season with modest scoring numbers through five games as the Kings have dropped each one. The 24-year-old guard is not on the injury report and comes off a 75-game rookie season in Sacramento where he carved out a rotation role.
By the Kings Nightly Desk · updated 4 d ago01The story of the nightSlow Start to 2026-27Clifford has played five games so far this season, and the Kings have lost all five.
Clifford has played five games so far this season, and the Kings have lost all five. His scoring has been light: 5 points against San Antonio, 2 against Portland, 3 against Golden State, 4 against the Lakers, and 23 against the Lakers five days earlier. His minutes have swung game to game, from a low of 12.0 against the Lakers on October 8 to 29.9 against Portland on October 13. He has shown more as a passer than a scorer in this stretch, with 6 assists in both the Lakers and Portland games, and he grabbed 9 rebounds in his 23-point outing on October 5.
02Health ReportClifford is not on the injury report right now.
Clifford is not on the injury report right now. There is no injury history logged for him, which lines up with a player who has stayed available through his young career. For a guard trying to lock down consistent minutes in a rotation, staying off the injury list matters, and right now that is one box he has checked as the Kings work through their opening schedule.
03What Last Season Looked LikeClifford played 75 games last season, his first in the league, averaging 25.1 minutes a night.
Clifford played 75 games last season, his first in the league, averaging 25.1 minutes a night. He put up 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, with 0.9 steals, 0.3 blocks and 1.5 turnovers. He shot 41.8 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 72.2 percent from the free-throw line, good for a 50.5 true shooting mark. His usage rate sat at 16.7 percent, and his plus-minus for the season was minus-2.9. That workload established him as a regular piece of Sacramento's rotation in year one.
04A Strong Finish Before This SeasonClifford closed out last season on a high note.
Clifford closed out last season on a high note. In his final five games of that stretch, he scored 24 points against Portland, 20 against Golden State in a win, 12 against Golden State in a loss, 18 against the Clippers, and 23 against New Orleans in a win. His minutes jumped into the high 30s in each of those games, topping out at 38.8 against Portland. That run showed a different gear than his career scoring average, with heavier usage and more time on the floor down the stretch.
05Background and BuildClifford is a 6-5, 210-pound guard out of Colorado State, now 24 years old and in his second season with the Kings.
Clifford is a 6-5, 210-pound guard out of Colorado State, now 24 years old and in his second season with the Kings. He wears number 10. Standing at that size with guard skills, he profiles as someone who can play either backcourt spot depending on matchup. His college background at Colorado State is the only program listed in his file, and he enters this season with one full year of NBA experience under his belt.
Wallace8.6 ppg
