Kings Criticized for De'Andre Hunter Trade: 'Hard to Sell'

The Sacramento Kings' latest trade involving the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls has drawn skepticism from analysts.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 7:47pm

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The struggling Sacramento Kings made a trade on Saturday, sending guards Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for veteran wing De'Andre Hunter. The Kings also dumped forward Dario Saric and his $4+ million contract on the Chicago Bulls. However, the trade has been widely criticized, with Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey giving the Kings a 'D' grade and saying 'it's a lot harder to sell this one' as the team should be focused on getting younger and collecting assets rather than adding more veteran players.

Why it matters

The Kings have had a dismal 2025-26 season, sitting at the bottom of the NBA with a 12-38 record. Many expected the team to start selling off assets at the trade deadline, but this move seems to go against that strategy by adding another veteran player in Hunter rather than acquiring younger talent or draft picks.

The details

The Kings traded away Schroder and Ellis, who were unlikely to be a big part of the team's future plans. However, they did not receive any draft picks in return, instead taking on Hunter's contract. The hope is that Hunter can provide some defensive help, but analysts believe the Kings would be better off focusing on a long-term rebuild rather than trying to win a few more games this season.

  • The trade was made on Saturday, February 2, 2026.

The players

De'Andre Hunter

A veteran wing player who the Kings acquired in the trade with the Cavaliers.

Dennis Schroder

A guard who was traded by the Kings to the Cavaliers as part of the deal.

Keon Ellis

A guard who was also traded by the Kings to the Cavaliers.

Dario Saric

A forward whose $4+ million contract was dumped by the Kings to the Bulls as part of the trade.

Andy Bailey

A Bleacher Report analyst who criticized the Kings' trade, giving them a 'D' grade.

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What they’re saying

“It's a lot harder to sell this one for the Kings.”

— Andy Bailey, Bleacher Report Analyst

The takeaway

This trade highlights the Kings' struggles to build a winning team, as they seem to be making short-term moves to try to improve their record this season rather than focusing on a long-term rebuild through acquiring young talent and draft picks. Analysts believe the Kings would be better served by selling off veteran assets and collecting future assets rather than adding more experienced players to their roster.