Kings Acquire De'Andre Hunter in Trade, More Moves Expected

Sacramento Kings make a move to add talent, but must address salary cap concerns ahead of trade deadline.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 8:15am

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The Sacramento Kings have acquired forward De'Andre Hunter from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade, sending out Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, and Dario Saric. However, the addition of Hunter's salary puts the Kings over the projected luxury tax line, suggesting they will need to make further roster moves before the upcoming trade deadline.

Why it matters

The Kings are currently 12-38 and have the best lottery odds in the NBA. Adding a talented player like Hunter could help them improve, but their salary cap situation means they likely can't keep him long-term without making additional trades to get under the luxury tax. This highlights the difficult balance teams must strike between improving their roster and managing their finances.

The details

In the three-team trade, the Kings acquired Hunter from the Cavaliers, who received Schroder and Ellis. The Bulls also received Saric as part of the deal. Hunter's contract adds $10 million to the Kings' 2026-27 payroll, pushing them $13 million over the projected luxury tax line. This means the Kings will almost certainly need to make additional moves before the February 5th trade deadline to address their salary cap situation.

  • The Kings made the trade for De'Andre Hunter on Saturday, February 1, 2026.
  • The NBA trade deadline is on February 5, 2026.

The players

De'Andre Hunter

A talented forward who the Kings acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade.

Dennis Schroder

A veteran guard who the Kings sent to the Cavaliers as part of the trade for De'Andre Hunter.

Keon Ellis

A young player the Kings included in the trade with the Cavaliers.

Dario Saric

A forward who the Kings traded to the Chicago Bulls as part of the three-team deal.

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What they’re saying

“I doubt the Sacramento Kings are done. De'Andre Hunter for Dennis Schroder adds $10 million to their 2026-27 payroll, pushing them $13 million over the projected luxury tax line.”

— Yossi Gozlan, NBA Salary Cap Expert

What’s next

The Kings will need to make additional trades before the February 5th deadline in order to get under the luxury tax line after acquiring De'Andre Hunter.

The takeaway

The Kings' trade for De'Andre Hunter highlights the difficult balance teams must strike between improving their roster and managing their salary cap. With the Kings already well out of playoff contention, this move suggests they are focused on the long-term, but they will need to make further trades to get their finances in order.