Scott Perry and the Sacramento Kings haven’t been shy about trading into the first round of the NBA draft for guys they think fit their identity. Since his arrival, Perry has traded into both drafts he oversaw, acquiring pick 24 from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025 and pick 29 from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2026.

Getting late first-round picks can be beneficial because it provides two team options that keep picks under team control for up to four years. The deadline to pick up 26/27 options is at the end of this month, and the Kings decided to opt into Nique Clifford’s team option today.

The Sacramento Kings pick up the third year option on Nique Clifford: pic.twitter.com/KvM7OeyTgi

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) October 26, 2026

Why This Is a No-Brainer

It’s pretty rare for teams to not pick up 3rd-year options for first-round draft picks. Even if a team isn’t sure that player will be a long-term piece, it is still smart to keep them under team control for a trade.…