The Sacramento Kings already had a tough season ahead of them, but the endless series of injuries and illnesses they're dealing with has just complicated things rather spectacularly. The most recent injury belongs to Nique Clifford, who will miss tonight's game against the Utah Jazz.
It's starting to seem like the Kings are cursed. An illness has been running through the team, knocking Malik Monk out for half the preseason and keeping Isaac Jones out of the season opener. So far, only two players were out sick, so hopefully that's the end of it. Knock on wood, of course.
Injuries have been even worse. First, Keegan Murray tore his UCL in his thumb, which will keep him out for weeks. Domantas Sabonis has also been out with a hamstring strain. DeMar DeRozan even missed the final preseason game thanks to groin soreness.
There have been a few near misses, as well. Dennis Schroder was a non-contact participant in practices leading up to the opening game due to ankle issues. He ended up playing. Even Keon Ellis cut it close, hitting the floor hard during the game and getting up slowly. Don't worry, he's fine.
Nique Clifford rides the Kings' bench
Unfortunately, standout rookie Nique Clifford didn't fare so well against the Suns. His performance was solid, but he sustained a hamstring strain similar to Sabonis. And like Domantas, Clifford will be out for at least a week, which includes tonight's home opener against the Jazz.
Kings announce a right hamstring strain for Nique Clifford. He will be reevaluated in one week. Another tough blow for the Kings. pic.twitter.com/R62JBfQdsV
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) October 23, 2025
Setting the tone early in the season is incredibly important. The Kings already had an uphill battle with a new head coach, a new front office, and new additions to the team. That's a lot to get synchronized starting in training camp through the first few games of the season.
Naturally, all these injuries are making that even more difficult. Nique being down presents a whole new set of problems. He was starting in place of Murray, which means more changes to the starting five. Plus, his gameplay and on-court maturity have been a bright spot for the Kings so far.
It's hard to judge the Kings' performance on the first few games. While it's nice to see how the team handles adversity, this is a little much. The roster needs time to figure out how to play together, and they are not going to get that any time soon. Fans will have to patient as the team heals.