Sacramento Kings trade former 13th pick Devin Carter to Atlanta Hawks

The Sacramento Kings are trading guard Devin Carter and a future second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Carter, the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, played sporadically during his brief Kings tenure, logging just 74 games over two seasons and averaged 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on 40/27/67 shooting splits.

On the heels of drafting Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. with the 7th pick in last week’s NBA Draft, Sacramento general manager Scott Perry has started to reshape this roster ahead of the start of free agency on Tuesday (3 pm PT).

The Sacramento Kings are trading guard Devin Carter and a future second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2026

More on the Kings-Hawks trade involving Devin Carter

At first glance, the Devin Carter trade is a head-scratcher. Trading a former lottery pick in return for… nothing? But if you look deeper, it makes perfect sense for the Sacramento Kings.

Perry, who took over as general manager following Monte McNair’s exit in April 2025, inherited a roster that has several bloated contracts. In fact, Sacramento is currently projected to be a second-apron team, especially now that Zach LaVine has opted into his $49 million player option for 2026-27.

The Kings need salary relief, and by moving Carter–at the expense of a future second-round pick–Sacramento will shed $5.1 million off its books for 2026-27, and more could be on the way if Perry finds a trade partner for DeMar DeRozan ($10 million partial gurantee), or ends up waiving and stretching the veteran’s contract in the coming days or weeks.

DeRozan’s $10 million partial guarantee could be stretched over the next three seasons for about $3.3 million, further reducing the Kings’ salary cap sheet.

Devin Carter–who was drafted by McNair, not Perry–displayed promise in the G League over the past two seasons but was unable to string together enough solid performances at the NBA level.

Spending time in and out of the rotation and missing time due to various injuries, Carter was buried on the depth chart beneath the likes of Dennis Schroder, Russell Westbrook, Keon Ellis, Malik Monk, and Nique Clifford during his second NBA season.

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Carter’s shooting numbers never stabilized with the Kings, although his athleticism, defense, and rebounding abilities were apparent–even in a limited sample size.

Atlanta will look to further tap into the 24-year-old’s potential, while Sacramento will take the salary relief ahead of the start of free agency.

This move could also be a precursor to the Kings reuniting with soon-to-be free-agent forward Precious Achiuwa, who has expressed interest in returning to Sacramento on a new deal. The Kings share that sentiment, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see a deal come to fruition early in the free agency negotiating period.

Of course, it will all come down to the financials and the flexibility Perry has for his next move. By moving Devin Carter, Sacramento says goodbye to a former lottery pick, but opens the door to a new opportunity for Perry to rebuild this roster, and to do it his way.

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What is the next Sacramento Kings Offseason Event?

The Sacramento Kings will now set their sights on the California Classic, with action set to run from July 4th through July 6th at Golden 1 Center.

New Kings point guard Darius Acuff Jr. (7th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) will go head-to-head against Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (6th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) at 2 pm PT on July 4th, right here in downtown Sacramento.

Be sure to remain locked into Sactown Sports for your Sacramento Kings Summer League news, analysis, and much more!

Upcoming Sacramento Kings Offseason Schedule

• Tuesday, June 30th – NBA Free Agency negotiation period begins (3 PM PT)
• Saturday, July 4th – Monday, July 6th – California Classic at Golden 1 Center
• Thursday, July 9th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins
• Monday, July 13th – Free Agency moratorium ends / signings can become official

Sacramento Kings California Classic Schedule

Games played at Golden 1 Center

• Saturday, July 4th – vs. Brooklyn Nets (2 p.m. PT)
• Sunday, July 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors (2 p.m. PT)
• Monday, July 6th – vs. Milwaukee Bucks (7 p.m. PT)

2026 Sacramento Kings Las Vegas Summer League Schedule

• Thursday, July 9: vs. Los Angeles Clippers (8 p.m. PT)
• Sunday, July 12: vs. Washington Wizards (5 p.m. PT)
• Tuesday, July 14: vs. Brooklyn Nets (3 p.m. PT)
• Wednesday, July 15: vs. Boston Celtics (5 p.m. PT)
• Final game TBD

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