Why Kings are being criticized for De’Andre Hunter trade and why they did it
De’Andre Hunter is expected to make his Kings debut when Sacramento plays host to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
The Kings have been widely criticized since acquiring Hunter in a three-team trade that sent Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis to the Cleveland Cavaliers with Dario Saric and a second-round draft pick going to the Chicago Bulls. Time will tell if the Kings made a smart move or mismanaged assets as they have done so many times in the past, but for now they are excited about the possibilities.
“Watching him on the defensive end makes me smile,” Kings coach Doug Christie said. “Elite length and athleticism, knowing that he can stretch the floor and shot the 3 ball, has midrange, just a really, really good player and a smart player, very heady as far as the communication. We’ll get him in the game and I’m excited to see him get out there.”
Hunter addressed the media in Sacramento for the first time following Tuesday’s practice. The 28-year-old forward said he is happy to join a veteran group that features Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis, although additional changes are possible ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
“There’s good energy here,” Hunter said. “A lot of great coaches that have a lot of experience in the league and a lot of experienced players who have been good in the league for a while, so I’m just excited for a new opportunity.”
Sacramento has drawn criticism for including Ellis and draft compensation in the trade to acquire Hunter, but the Kings felt the move made sense for a number of reasons.
Ellis, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, was unlikely to stay in Sacramento after struggling to find playing time in a crowded backcourt on an imbalanced roster. Kings guard Malik Monk confirmed as much Tuesday when he told reporters Ellis “wanted to go.”
First-year Kings general manager Scott Perry would probably prefer to preserve and accumulate draft capital at this stage in Sacramento’s rebuild, but the 2026 second-round pick included in the Hunter deal was not seen as a valuable asset. That pick, which was acquired in the sign-and-trade deal for Schroder, will be conveyed as the least favorable pick from the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks.
The Hunter trade alleviates the logjam in the backcourt, clears the way for rookie Nique Clifford to get more playing time and opens a roster spot for the Kings to convert rookie two-way center Dylan Cardwell to a standard NBA contract. The Kings have yet to announce Cardwell’s new contract, but Christie all but confirmed it Tuesday, saying he’s “proud of Dylan” and “super excited” for him.
Most of all, the Kings are eager to see what Hunter brings to the team as a long, athletic 3-and-D wing who stands 6-fooot-7 with a 7-2 wingspan. Murray is expected to miss at least two more weeks with a left ankle sprain, but Christie is intrigued to see what Murray and Hunter can do together.
“When you think about it, you’ve got two long wings,” Christie said. “Both of them can shoot the basketball. Both of them can pretty much guard one through five. Rebounding, cutting, midrange, and they both play the right way for the right reasons. They are team players. They are going to move the basketball, move their bodies. When you talk about next actions, when we talk about crashing, all the little things that equate to winning, both of them do that, so I’m really excited to see them out there together.”
Hunter is excited, too, saying he can play either forward spot in a lineup with Murray.
“I’m very comfortable playing both,” Hunter said. “I’ve been doing it for the last four or five years, so it’s not really difficult to adjust to, and playing with a guy like Keegan, another versatile guy who can defend, who can shoot, who can score, I think it will be fun.
“He’s another guy with size, another guy who can guard one through four. As a guy who can do that, it’s always good to see another dude on the court who can help you out when you’re tired.”
This story was originally published February 3, 2026 at 2:58 PM.
