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Sacramento Shocks NBA: Devin Carter Traded to Hawks!
Kings and Hawks Agree to Trade: Devin Carter Heads to Atlanta
What Just Happened?
The Sacramento Kings and the Atlanta Hawks have made a trade! The Kings are sending a young basketball player named Devin Carter to the Hawks, along with a future second-round draft pick. This kind of news might sound confusing at first, so let’s break it down into simple pieces.
The Trade Basics
Here’s what’s going the other way:
- From the Kings to the Hawks:
- Devin Carter (a 24-year-old guard/player)
- A second-round pick from the 2033 draft (that’s a pick way in the future — think of it like saving something special for later)
Who is Devin Carter?
Let’s learn a bit more about the person at the center of this trade:
- He’s 24 years old
- The Kings originally picked him 13th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft (that means a lot of teams wanted him!)
- Unfortunately, he had left shoulder surgery right after being drafted, which delayed his first real NBA game
- He also dealt with several injuries, including problems with his:
- Ankle
- Back
- Calf
Important Point: Devin Carter was only able to play 74 total regular season games in his two years with the Kings. That’s not very many games for two seasons!
His Stats (in simple terms)
When he did play, here’s how he performed on average:
- 6.4 points per game
- 2.7 rebounds per game (a rebound is when you grab the ball after a missed shot)
- 1.9 assists per game (an assist is when you pass the ball to a teammate who then scores)
- He played about 14.8 minutes per game
His shooting percentages were considered below average (.401/.274/.674), which means he didn’t make baskets as often as most NBA players do.
Why Didn’t Carter Stick With the Kings?
This trade didn’t come out of nowhere. Here’s the backstory:
- A year ago, the Kings were reportedly trying to use Devin Carter as part of a package (a group of players/picks) to try to get another player named Jonathan Kuminga from the Golden State Warriors.
- That deal never happened.
- A year later, the Kings moved him in what many people call a "salary dump."
What’s a Salary Dump?
Think of it this way: the Kings are trying to clear out money from their budget. In the NBA, teams have to pay something called luxury tax when their total player salaries go above a certain limit. By trading Devin Carter, the Kings are trying to pay less money overall and get below that luxury tax line.
What’s Next for Devin Carter?
Nobody knows for sure yet what the Hawks plan to do with him!
Here are the possibilities:
- The Hawks keep him and let him play for their team
- The Hawks trade or release him later — they might have really wanted that 2033 second-round pick more than the player himself
His Contract (Payday Details)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2026/27 Salary | $5.16 million (guaranteed — he gets paid no matter what) |
| 2027/28 Team Option | $7.37 million (the Hawks decide by October 31, 2026 whether they want to keep him for that season) |
Important Point: The Hawks didn’t need to match salaries exactly to make this trade. They have special tools to absorb Devin Carter’s contract, including:
- The bi-annual exception (a special NBA rule that lets teams go over the salary cap to sign players)
- A trade exception they got last summer when they traded player Clint Capela to the Houston Rockets. This exception expires on July 6, so timing matters!
Summary
- The Sacramento Kings traded Devin Carter and a 2033 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks
- Carter was a No. 13 overall pick in 2024 but struggled with injuries and underwhelming stats during his two years in Sacramento
- The trade is essentially a financial move by the Kings to get out of luxury tax territory
- It’s unclear whether the Hawks plan to keep Carter or eventually move on from him
- Carter earns a guaranteed $5.16M for 2026/27, with a $7.37M option deadline set for October 31, 2026
FAQ
Q: What is a second-round pick in the NBA draft?
A: The NBA draft has two rounds. Second-round picks are players selected after the first 30 players are chosen. Teams use these picks to grab talented players who were not quite valuable enough to be first-round selections — kind of like finding hidden treasure!
Q: What is luxury tax?
A: When NBA teams spend more than a certain amount of money on player salaries, they have to pay a penalty called the "luxury tax." It’s like a speeding ticket, but for spending too much money on players.
Q: Why would the Hawks agree to a trade if they might just release the player?
A: The Hawks may value that 2033 second-round pick as a future asset. Also, they have the financial tools (like the trade exception) to take on Carter’s salary without hurting their budget much.
Q: What is a "trade exception"?
A: It’s a special tool the NBA gives teams during certain trades that allows them to take on a certain amount of extra salary without matching it dollar-for-dollar. Think of it like a coupon that helps a team make a deal work.
Q: Will Devin Carter get a fresh start with the Hawks?
A: That remains to be seen! He’s still only 24, and many young players improve over time, especially with better health and a new opportunity. The Hawth will decide by October 31, 2026, whether to keep him for the 2027/28 season.
