Sacramento Kings trade Devin Carter to Hawks for cap relief
The Sacramento Kings reportedly traded guard Devin Carter and a 2033 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks on June 29, 2026, according to multiple reports including NBA.com and ESPN. The move is widely framed as salary-cap relief for Sacramento, shedding about $5.16 million while giving the 2024 lottery pick a fresh start in Atlanta.
The deal lands as both clubs stay active ahead of roster and contract deadlines. For the Sacramento Kings, clearing a former first-round selection signals how urgently the front office is managing tax and apron pressure this offseason.
Key Takeaways
- Sacramento sends Devin Carter and its 2033 second-round pick to Atlanta, per NBA.com and ESPN's Shams Charania.
- The Kings save roughly $5.16 million for the 2026-27 season in a cap-relief move, a league source told the Sacramento Bee.
- Carter, the No. 13 pick in 2024, averaged 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists over his first two NBA seasons.
- Atlanta remains involved in other trade talks as Jonathan Kuminga's team-option deadline approaches, per reporter Jake Fischer.
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Why did the Sacramento Kings trade Devin Carter?
The Kings moved Carter primarily for financial flexibility, according to a league source who spoke with the Sacramento Bee. Sacramento is reshaping its payroll after two injury-affected seasons from the guard, whose development was slowed by shoulder trouble and a crowded backcourt.
Monte McNair selected Carter 13th overall in 2024 out of Providence when expectations were high. Current leadership is now paying to exit that contract rather than keep paying a lottery pick who never secured a steady rotation role.
What did Sacramento send Atlanta in the deal?
Multiple reports say the Kings traded Carter plus a future second-rounder. NBA.com cited ESPN's Shams Charania on the guard-and-pick package, while Yahoo's Jake Fischer identified the pick as Sacramento's 2033 second-round selection.
No significant player return for Sacramento was reported at the time NBA.com published its story. That structure reinforces the view that Atlanta absorbed the salary rather than Sacramento chasing on-court compensation.
How does the trade affect the Kings' salary cap?
The Sacramento Bee reported Sacramento will save $5.158 million for the 2026-27 season. After the move, the Kings were roughly $11 million above the luxury-tax line, about $8 million over the first apron, and $5.1 million under the second apron.
The Bee noted Sacramento could still duck the luxury tax if it waives and stretches DeMar DeRozan, whose $25.7 million contract carries only $10 million guaranteed. Carter's exit is one incremental step in that broader cap puzzle.
What happens next for Devin Carter in Atlanta?
Carter, 24, joins a Hawks team NBA.com said was still active in other trade conversations around the league. Fischer reported Atlanta had about two hours left before a decision on Jonathan Kuminga's team option when the Carter deal surfaced.
On the court, Carter brings two years of modest production to a new depth chart. Whether Atlanta plans to develop him long term or revisit his contract later this year remains unclear as the Hawks continue shaping their 2026-27 roster.