Nique Clifford Injury News & Updates

The Kings recalled Clifford from the G League's Stockton Kings on Wednesday, per James Ham of ESPN 1320 Sacramento.

After tallying 16 points (6-13 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds and one steal in 32 minutes during Tuesday's 112-99 G League win over the South Bay Lakers, Clifford is quickly making his way back to the NBA roster. The rookie first-rounder is averaging 16.2 minutes per game over 20 appearances for Sacramento.

Clifford produced 16 points (6-13 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds and one steal in 32 minutes of Tuesday's 112-99 G League win over the South Bay Lakers.

Clifford made his first cameo in the G League on Tuesday, but he's likely to be recalled ahead of Thursday's NBA game against the Nuggets.

Clifford accumulated 15 points (7-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt), six rebounds and one steal in 18 minutes during Saturday's 127-111 win over Miami.

Clifford finally found his groove on the offensive end, supplying a season-high 15 points and leading the Kings' bench in scoring. The rookie first-rounder's performance Saturday is encouraging, as he hadn't scored in double figures since Nov. 9. After seeing significant run early in the season and eventually falling out of favor in mid-November, Clifford's playing time is finally trending back in the right direction. He has logged double-digit minutes in three straight games, averaging 7.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 18.0 minutes per game over that stretch.

Clifford logged eight points (2-3 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 2-4 FT), two rebounds, three assists and two steals across 19 minutes during Thursday's 137-96 loss to the Grizzlies.

This game was a blowout, so fantasy managers shouldn't put too much stock into it. The Kings are now 3-13 however, and they are going to be without Domantas Sabonis (knee) for a while. It's easy to see a path to minutes opening up for the rookie in the near future.

Clifford had nine points (3-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds and four assists over 31 minutes during Wednesday's 133-100 loss to Atlanta.

For the second time this season, the rookie was able to eclipse 30 minutes. Zach LaVine (thigh) missed this contest, and the score quickly got out of hand which allowed Clifford to see extended run. With averages of 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.8 three-pointers in 21.9 minutes on 35.4 percent shooting from the field, Clifford still has some work to do before many fantasy managers need to look his way.

Clifford will be in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Warriors, Matt George of ABC 10 Sacramento reports.

Clifford has come off the bench in all three games he's played this season. The Colorado State product is averaging 3.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocks per game, shooting 38.5 percent from the field.

Clifford racked up eight points (4-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound, three assists and one block in 19 minutes during Monday's 130-124 loss to the Nuggets.

Clifford made his third appearance of the season after a hamstring issue hampered him to open the campaign. Through three appearances, he's shooting 38.5 percent from the field with averages of 3.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocks. Malik Monk is currently out for personal reasons, so playing time won't be easy to come by once he's back in the mix. Clifford's role is likely to grow as the season progresses, to be clear.

Clifford (hamstring) logged zero points (0-1 FG), three rebounds and one block in 16 minutes off the bench in Saturday's 135-133 win over the Bucks.

Clifford started in the Kings' season-opening loss to the Suns on Oct. 22, but after injuring his hamstring in that contest and missing Sacramento's subsequent four games, he returned to action Saturday in a bench role. Though the Kings went with Dylan Cardwell alongside Domantas Sabonis as part of a supersized frontcourt, head coach Doug Christie ran out a smaller bench unit that resulted in the rookie Clifford logging more playing time at forward. Despite serving mostly as a guard during his collegiate career, Clifford could end up seeing most of his minutes as a reserve forward for the foreseeable future, as the Kings backcourt will eventually get another key player back in Malik Monk (personal), who sat out Saturday's win.

Clifford (hamstring) is available for Saturday's game against the Bucks, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports.

Clifford has missed four straight games and will have a chance to see the court Saturday for the first time since the regular-season opener. The rookie was a focal point of the rotation in his only appearance thus far, playing 24 minutes as a starter. Clifford finished that loss to Phoenix with two points (1-3 FG), eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.

Clifford (hamstring) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Bucks.

Clifford is in danger of missing a fifth straight game due to a hamstring injury. However, the Colorado State product seems to be trending in the right direction. If he misses Saturday's matchup, the team will turn to Russell Westbrook, Keon Ellis and Devin Carter, especially with Malik Monk (personal) already ruled out.

Clifford underwent an MRI that confirmed a right hamstring strain, Deuce Mason of NBC Sports California reports.

Clifford will have his hamstring issue re-evaluated in a week. Keon Ellis will likely receive a boost in minutes while potentially being in the starting lineup while Clifford is on the mend.

Clifford will start Wednesday's game against the Suns, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports.

Clifford draws the start in his first NBA regular season game, stepping into the starting small forward position as a result of Keegan Murray's (thumb) injury. Dennis Schroder, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Drew Eubanks make up the rest of Sacramento's starting five.

Clifford posted 13 points (5-12 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven assists, five rebounds and a steal over 33 minutes in Friday's 117-116 preseason win over the Lakers.

Clifford leading the team in minutes was an encouraging sign that he will have a role with the Kings to begin the season, especially with Keegan Murray (thumb) out until at least the middle of November. While he started in the preseason finale in place of DeMar DeRozan (groin), Clifford will likely be relegated to a prominent role within the second unit in the team's season opener Wednesday against the Suns.

Clifford will start in Friday's preseason game against the Lakers, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.

With DeMar DeRozan (groin) sidelined in the Kings' preseason finale, Clifford will get the starting nod. The rookie first-round pick could see increased playing time to begin the regular season due to Keegan Murray (thumb) being on the shelf.

Clifford produced 19 points (8-13 FG, 1-1 FT, 2-5 3Pt), three rebounds and a steal across 20 minutes in Wednesday's 109-91 loss to the Kings.

Clifford is followng up a stellar Summer League with standout performances in the preseason. He can fill a few different positions as a second-unit replacement, where the first-round pick should rise to the cusp of fantasy relevancy. The team was a bit short-handed due to Keegan Murray's (thumb) injury, but Clifford is likely to earn comparable minutes when the team is full healthy.

Clifford finished with 15 points (5-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-3 FT), three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block across 26 minutes during Friday's 124-123 preseason loss to the Trail Blazers.

Clifford led the way off the bench, as one of only two players, Zach LaVine being the other, to score 15 or more points Friday. The rookie guard was given the time to show what he could do during this one-point loss, playing a team-high 26 minutes.

Clifford finished with 10 points (3-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, nine assists and two steals across 24 minutes during Wednesday's 120-122 preseason loss to the Raptors.

Clifford came one assist shy of recording a double-double, as he provided a spark off the bench. The Colorado State product also made an impact during the Las Vegas Summer League, showing the ability to fill up the stat sheet, especially crashing the glass and as a distributor.

Clifford tallied 19 points (8-15 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 1-1 FT), nine assists and seven rebounds across 31 minutes in Wednesday's 94-86 Summer League win over the Cavaliers.

Clifford's strong Summer League showing continued Tuesday, marking his third consecutive game with 19 points while also contributing as a playmaker and rebounder. His impressive fifth-year campaign at Colorado State has carried over seamlessly into summer action as he looks to earn a spot in the Kings' rotation for the 2025-26 season.

Clifford chipped in 19 points (7-8 FG, 3-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block across 24 minutes in Monday's 94-76 Summer League win over the Suns.

Clifford posted a game-high 19 points during an efficient outing. The No. 24 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft also tied the game-best mark in steals. The Kings are 3-0 in Summer League play, and Clifford has posted at least 17 points in each of those matchups while shooting 60.6 percent from the field in that span.

Clifford closed with 19 points (8-13 FG, 3-4 3Pt), 12 rebounds, five assists and one steal across 28 minutes in Saturday's 109-92 Summer League win over the Bulls.

Clifford delivered a strong performance Saturday, drilling three three-pointers and securing double-digit rebounds. The No. 24 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is coming off an impressive season at Colorado State, where he averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three across 36 total games.

Clifford finished Thursday's 84-81 Summer League victory against the Magic with 17 points (5-12 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 6-10 FT), four rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block over 25 minutes.

Clifford attempted a team-high 10 shots from the free-throw line and put forth a solid effort on the defensive end in his first taste of Summer League play. The 23-year-old guard out of Colorado State was selected with the No. 24 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and could put himself in a position for consistent playing time to begin his rookie year if he continues to impress.

Clifford was selected by the Kings with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

This pick originally belonged to the Thunder but was rerouted in a trade to the Kings that sends a 2027 first-round pick to Oklahoma City, NBA reporter Jake Fischer reports. Clifford broke out as a fifth-year senior at Colorado State, averaging 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals on 49.6 percent shooting and 37.7 percent from beyond the arc in 36 games. The guard rebounds exceptionally well for his size, often playing bigger than his listed height, and he's also a high-volume shooter, though his three-point consistency still has room for improvement. Malik Monk and Zach LaVine are in the Sacramento backcourt right now, but a busy offseason with flurries of moves could open up more time for Clifford.