ABSTRACT We analysed the largest Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) cluster sample (32) with proper motions and radial velocity measurements, from which we obtained their space velocity components. By adopting as a reference, the recent best-fitting rotating disc of SMC star clusters as a function of the position angle, we computed their residual velocity vectors, and compared their magnitudes ($\Delta \, V$) with that of a cluster with residual velocity components equal to the velocity dispersions along the three independent SMC rotating disc axes of motion ($\Delta \, V$ = 60 km s−1). We found that clusters that belong to SMC tidally induced structures have $\Delta \, V\, \gt $ 50 km s−1, which suggests that space velocities of clusters in the process of escaping the rotating disc kinematics are measurably different. Studied clusters pertaining to a northern branch of the Magellanic Bridge, the main Magellanic Bridge, the Counter-Bridge, and the West Halo give support these findings. NGC 121, the oldest known SMC cluster, does not belong to any SMC tidal feature, and has $\Delta \, V$ = 64 km s−1, slightly above the boundary between bound and kinematically perturbed clusters.