Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off a trade for Nique Clifford. In exchange, they sent the Sacramento Kings two second-round draft picks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
On Day 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft, Sacramento struck a deal with Oklahoma City to select Clifford. The Kings had no opening-round capital that year. They parted with the rights to the San Antonio Spurs‘ 2027 first-round choice, which they made top-16 protected.
For Sam Presti, the Thunder’s executive vice president and general manager, to walk away from this with Clifford and yet another future first-round pick as the promising wing starts his second NBA season is a steal.
For the Denver Nuggets, it might feel like a nightmare. The franchise that resides in the Mile High City also tried to land Clifford. Unfortunately, like the Los Angeles Lakers, their pursuit was unsuccessful, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The Nuggets Miss Big in Failed Nique Clifford Trade Attempt
Denver doesn’t have much flexibility. The chance to acquire a promising young talent at a heavily discounted price was a potential gift. The Thunder have an abundance of draft capital. So, if the Nuggets raised their bid, the winners in this sweepstakes could have easily followed suit.
However, it never came to that. And if it did, perhaps Oklahoma City would have stood down. The 2024-25 NBA champions surely have other targets in mind. Presti could have easily pivoted.
The Nuggets are far more restricted. Clifford would have given them a dynamic defensive wing. In an exclusive interview with this author at last year’s Summer League, he told this author that he models his game after Boston Celtics guard Derrick White and New York Knicks wing Josh Hart.
Who wouldn’t want a player like that?
Nique Clifford would have been a great fit with the Nuggets
Clifford also has the ability to be a very effective connector and secondary playmaker. He could have thrived as a cutter, feeding off dimes from Nikola Jokic.
The 24-year-old can raise his ceiling by improving from beyond the arc. In his rookie season, he attempted 3.1 three-pointers per contest. He converted on just 33.3 percent of them.
However, Clifford still has a promising foundation to work with. It’s perplexing that the Kings chose to give up on him so early, or at least it would be if they weren’t such a dysfunctional franchise. They need young talent.
The players they have who fit that description, like this year’s seventh overall pick Darius Acuff Jr., are the most exciting and important part of their team. Clifford’s playstyle, dogged defense, and ability to force turnovers made him a nice complement to Sacramento’s rookie scoring sensation.
Now, Clifford gets to develop his game within an elite infrastructure. It’s a smart pickup by one of the most well-run organizations in sports. Trading him now, for this return, is a mistake by the Kings. The Nuggets missing out on him is a stinging blow for a franchise looking for opportunities like this to add promising young players despite limited resources.
Why the Nuggets are the Biggest Losers in Thunder’s Trade for Nique Clifford