A former Golden State Warriors guard, whom the Oklahoma City Thunder just signed a week ago, expressed deep sadness about being waived by his team on Sunday night.
Dalen Terry, who played in training camp and preseason with the Warriors, had a sorrowful social media post following his release from the Thunder.
“heavy and empty at the same damn time…,” Terry wrote.
Terry was released as the Thunder needed to free up a roster spot after acquiring wing Nique Clifford in a trade with the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Utah’s 2028 and Minnesota’s 2030 second-round picks.
Terry had just signed a two-year deal with Oklahoma City on Tuesday and played his only game for the team on Saturday, recording 2 points and 2 rebounds in 5:48 of action during a 114–75 win against the Washington Wizards.
The former first-round pick previously spent time with the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers.
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After Terry, the Thunder are now looking forward to finding something out of Nique Clifford from the Sacramento Kings.
Acquiring Nique Clifford from the Kings gives the Thunder immediate, low-cost wing depth to survive a devastating wave of early-season injuries.
In the short term, the 24-year-old wing steps straight into a rotation badly depleted by long-term absences of starters Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and Chet Holmgren. Clifford brings a 6-foot-5 frame, a 6-foot-8 wingspan, strong perimeter defense, rebounding, and secondary playmaking that fit cleanly alongside MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
While his 32.6% career 3-point shooting remains a work in progress, he already proved he can handle real NBA minutes during his 2025-2026 rookie campaign, when he started 28 of 75 games and averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per contest.
The move represents a classic Sam Presti buy-low asset play that bolsters Oklahoma City’s long-term financial flexibility. The trade brings Clifford full circle to the franchise that originally selected him at No. 24 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft before flipping his rights to Sacramento for a protected 2027 first-round pick.
The Thunder essentially turned the 2025 draft-night swap into a net gain of a first-round pick while still ending up with the player.
Financially, Clifford is owed just $3.2 million this season with roughly $12.6 million total remaining on his rookie-scale deal, including two team options.
With max and near-max contracts for Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Holmgren, and Wallace pushing Oklahoma City’s payroll higher every year, locking in a cost-controlled, versatile wing under team control helps sustain their championship window without straining the salary cap.
Kings Have One Message for Thunder-Bound Nique Clifford
Kings head coach Doug Christie gave a touching message for Nique Clifford after the trade on Sunday.
“You guys know Nick left us today,” Christie opened his statement. “I want to wish him the absolute best. He’s the ultimate professional. It’s an honor and a privilege to work with him. It’s part of the job and part of our business, but I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a great kid and a great person.”
Christie also answered a question about why Clifford did not get minutes with the Kings this season.
“It’s always about competition. That’s what it is. I thought Emanuel (Sharp) has played really, really well. Malik came back, so there’s a logjam there. That’s part of the issue, but nothing personal with him. Never,” he said.
Former Warriors Guard Relays Sad Post After Thunder Waived Him