There is a lot of talk about what the Sacramento Kings need to do in the offseason to right the ship and none of it is about De'Andre Hunter. The fans, the media, and possibly the front office have all seemingly forgotten he's technically on the team. He should probably take that as a warning sign.
Going into the 2026 trade deadline, there was endless talk about the Kings needing to make big moves. But a big move also has to be a good move, and Sacramento's front office didn't find what they were looking for. Instead, they made a smaller move that had a large impact.
The only trade the Kings made sent Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis to the Cavaliers while Dario Saric bounced from Sacramento to Chicago to Detroit to Europe in a couple of days. He's apparently still pretty upset about that whole situation and the sudden end of his NBA career.
The real value of Sacramento's Hunter trade
All Sacramento got in exchange was 3&D forward De'Andre Hunter. While he might have had potential, no one ever got to see it as he was injured and out for the season 1.5 games into his Kings' run. That's not the best way to kick things off with new team.
Simply getting Schroder, Ellis, and Saric off the bench was enough to open up the roster a bit and get minutes for other players. Dylan Cardwell and Killian Hayes both got a full NBA contract in part because of that move. Daeqwon Plowden should have gotten one, too, but that's another story.
Honestly, that trade was more about who the Kings got rid of than the one player they brought in. Since then, Hunter has basically faded into obscurity in all the talk around the Kings' future. Being that they need to cut payroll and he's superfluous, there's a real possibility he'll leave Sacramento.
Hunter may be on the move
As it stands right now, Hunter has one year left on his contract worth $25 million. For a team that is already having problems with the salary cap, luxury tax, and the second apron, that's a huge chunk of change sitting on the books for a player that never really fit the long-term plan.
Hunter was a solid 3&D wing, but his tenure with the Cavs left a lot to be desired. The hope in Sacramento was that a change of scenery might jumpstart his flagging career. Obviously, that didn't happen. The problem is that $25 million is a lot to gamble on a "maybe" at this point.
The Kings have several young players to work with, a three-pick draft coming, and a few veteran contracts to sort out. Rather than trying to fit Hunter in, they're likely to either trade him or buy him out. Either way, it's hard to see him in a Kings' uniform when the next season starts.
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