De'Andre Hunter (12) rebounds in the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Rocket Arena. David Richard-Imagn Images

Cavaliers agree to surprisingly trade De’Andre Hunter to Kings

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated Jan 31, 2026 11:27 PM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings have kicked off trade season days before the Feb. 5 deadline.

The Cavaliers have reportedly agreed to trade wing De’Andre Hunter to the Kings in exchange for guards Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Sacramento also sends Dario Saric and two second-round picks to the Chicago Bulls as part of the deal.

The move comes almost a year after the Cavaliers acquired Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks to shore up their small forward spot.

Hunter was projected to be the ideal wing to play alongside the backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. But the Virginia product never really meshed with the rest of the team’s core.

The 6-foot-7 swingman has seen his shooting efficiency dip to career-worst levels so far this season. Through 43 games, Hunter has averaged 14.0 points on 42.3% shooting and a career-low 30.8% from the three-point line.

BREAKING: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, sources tell ESPN. The three-team deal includes the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks. pic.twitter.com/Hoc6bP0hhj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 1, 2026

The trade coincides with the emergence of second-year guard Jaylon Tyson, who has firmly supplanted Hunter in the starting lineup. Tyson turned heads when he made a rather disrespectful comment toward LeBron James earlier this week, but he has since apologized.

While Tyson’s promo skills still need a bit of work, the trade of Hunter shows how much faith the Cavaliers have in him.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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