Kings To Trade Devin Carter, Second-Round Pick To Hawks

The Kings and Hawks have agreed to a trade that will send guard Devin Carter to Atlanta along with a future second-round pick, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). The second-rounder headed to the Hawks in the deal is Sacramento’s 2033 selection, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

Carter, 24, was the Kings’ lottery pick just two years ago, having been selected 13th overall in the 2024 draft. However, his NBA debut was delayed due to left shoulder surgery and he battled ankle, back, and calf issues during his second season in 2025/26. He appeared in just 74 total regular season games in his two years with the Kings, averaging 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 14.8 minutes per contest, with an underwhelming .401/.274/.674 shooting line.

Carter’s name frequently popped up in trade rumors a year ago when he was part of one of the packages the Kings were reportedly offering to Golden State for Jonathan Kuminga. That deal never came to fruition, but a year later, the former No. 13 overall pick is on the move in what essentially amounts to a salary-dump for a Sacramento team looking to get out of luxury tax territory.

It’s unclear whether the Hawks intend to retain Carter or if Atlanta is focused on acquiring that second-round pick and intends to trade or release the former Kings guard after the trade is finalized. His contract will pay him a guaranteed $5.16MM salary in 2026/27, with his new team required to make a decision on his $7.37MM option for 2027/28 by October 31, 2026.

Assuming this trade is completed without looping any other teams into the process, the Hawks could take on Carter’s salary using either the bi-annual exception or the trade exception the team acquired last summer when it signed-and-traded Clint Capela to Houston. That exception will expire on July 6.