Clifford could have more competition for playing time in the backcourt after the Kings took Darius Acuff with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Sacramento embraced a youth movement down the stretch of 2025-26, giving Clifford an opportunity to function essentially as a full-time starter following the All-Star break. Acuff projects as the Kings' top point guard for 2026-27, though Clifford's fantasy outlook is still fairly murky. There's a decent possibility that all three of DeMar DeRozan (hamstring), Russell Westbrook (toe) and Precious Achiuwa are playing elsewhere, so Clifford could either be battling to start or for a reserve role during training camp.