The One Stat Nique Clifford Must Improve in His Second Season

The Sacramento Kings don't have high expectations coming into next season, as many epxect them to be at or near the bottom or the standings at the end of the year. But they do have some intruiging pieces on their roster.

Darius Acuff Jr. comes in as the hopefuly next franchise star, and veterans Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk are all still on the team, at least for now. It gives the Kings a chance to make some noise this year. But to do so, they're going to need all hands on deck and rely on internal improvement from their younger players.

One of those key players is second-year wing Nique Clifford. Maxime Raynaud stole the headlines last season, but Clifford had a quietly productive rookie campaign. He showed that he can do a little bit of everything on the court and be a winning player. That may not always show in the box score, but it shows in the eye test and the advanced numbers. There is one key area where Clifford will need to make an improvement, though, in his second season.

Wide-Open 3P%

Apr 3, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (center) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last season, Clifford averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 41.8% shooting from the field and 33.3% from three. His overall efficiency can stand to improve, but looking more at his three-point percentage shows a clear path to Clifford taking a leap in his second season.

When breaking down his three-point percentage by the closest defender, Clifford shot 25% on his 'Tightly' covered threes (defender with 2-4 feet), 35.4% on his 'Open' threes (4-6 feet), and 32.6% on his 'Wide-Open' attempts (6+ feet). In an ideal world, those best Wide-Open looks would be the leading percentage, but Clifford actually shot better when the defender was closer to him.

With the addition of Acuff leading the offense, everyone should theoretically get more wide-open looks this year, compared to last. Clifford has been talked about as a secondary ball handler or even a candidate to get minutes at the backup point guard, but he could make a living as a 3-and-D type of player who does all the little things on the court. It's a role that almost every team in the NBA is trying to fill every year as three-point shooting continues to reign supreme in today's NBA.

While Clifford has already shown glimpses of being able to provide high-level defense, the shooting will be the main question mark. Him getting his overall three-point percentage up would be great for both him and the Kings, but at the very least, the wide-open looks have to go in at a better clip in the upcoming season. The good news is that we've already seen Clifford capitalize on Acuff's ability to get people open as he hit a game winning three in Summer League.

DARIUS ACUFF TO NIQUE CLIFFORD FOR THE WIN. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/GKaf87S3O3
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 4, 2026

Of the 208 players who attempted at least 100 wide-open threes last season, Clifford's 32.6% tied him for 18th worst. It helps that it should theoretically be an easy shot to fix and improve, as it's the best look from the perimeter someone can ask for. But in what may end up being a make-or-break year for his future with the Kings, all eyes will be on his three-point shooting, especially his great looks generated by Acuff and others.

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