The Sacramento Kings, if the season ended today, would have the best lottery odds in the NBA.
They're 12-38 entering Sunday, and yet they made a trade for the talented De'Andre Hunter on Saturday night from the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving up Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis to Cleveland and Dario Saric to the Bulls as part of a three-team deal.
There are plenty of questions to be asked of Sacramento after this deal, but the reality is this: The Kings almost certainly aren't done.
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Hunter raises their salary picture in a big way, and one they aren't likely to keep given how rough this season has been:
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.
I expect them to make subsequent moves to address this. pic.twitter.com/tYOVR3v7af
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) February 1, 2026
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The question starts to become whether the Kings already have another deal lined up, or if they're just hoping that something comes together.
The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 5, so this week becomes about Sacramento trying to get its finances and roster in order.
Anything that Sacramento can do to help its future is what should happen. This is a team with a lot of veterans who simply haven't gotten the job done. The Kings have nothing to gain by overpaying for this season.
The Hunter deal shifted assets around, but there's almost no way it's the last move the Kings will make this week.
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