Kings Expected to Target Two Veteran Guards After Trading Nique Clifford

The Sacramento Kings solved their backcourt logjam by trading Nique Clifford to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for two second-round picks. This deal has obviously gotten mixed reviews from the Kings faithful, as they traded to draft Clifford in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, only to turn around and ship him away less than 18 months later.

Now, though, the Kings have just 13 players on standard contracts, meaning they have two weeks to sign someone to reach the NBA's 14-player minimum. Kings insider James Ham reported that the team is expected "to take a few days and mull over their next roster move" before signing a new 14th player.

The Sacramento Kings are trading Nique Clifford to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Ngodsi2Wjv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 8, 2026

The obvious candidates are their in-house guys, as the Kings could elevate Leaky Black, Jonathan Mogbo, or Sean Pedulla, who are all currently on two-way contracts, but there are a couple of external options they will likely consider if they want to replace Clifford with another guard. According to The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Kings are expected to consider Kevin Porter Jr. and Gabe Vincent.

"League sources have maintained for weeks that the Kings had shown interest in two of the most accomplished veteran guards who are currently available as unrestricted free agents: Kevin Porter Jr. and Gabe Vincent," they reported after the Clifford trade.

Kevin Porter Jr.

The Kings already had some rumored interest in Porter Jr. after Ben Simmons went down with a season-ending injury, and now that they will be without another guard, it makes sense for them to consider this option again.

Porter Jr., 26, is arguably the most talented free agent left on the market, with multiple teams having rumored interest, but he remains unsigned. Last season for the Milwaukee Bucks, he averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. Porter Jr. has the talent to make an impact in Sacramento, but he might not be the type of player they need.

Regardless, Porter Jr. is an intriguing option for Sacramento if they want an offensive boost off the bench, especially one who still fits the team's timeline.

Gabe Vincent

Gabe Vincent is another name who has been linked to the Kings in the past as a veteran point guard, but he is a bit less intriguing than Porter Jr. would be. Vincent, 30, made a name for himself during the Miami Heat's 2023 run to the NBA Finals, but he has been on the decline ever since.

Vincent is coming off a half-season stint with the Atlanta Hawks, where he averaged 3.9 points and 1.6 assists in 13.3 minutes per game, struggling to make an impact. The positive about Vincent is that he is a capable defender, despite his smaller frame, which could help this Kings team that struggles on that side of the ball.

If Vincent could provide a solid veteran presence with some defensive pressure and reliable ball-handling in their backcourt, this would not be a bad option.

It is hard to say who the Kings will sign to their 14th standard contract, but if I had to guess, I think they will lean toward elevating one of their two-way guys, with Leaky Black the current frontrunner.

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