The Kings will be without De’Andre Hunter for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes and Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who report that the veteran forward will undergo eye surgery.
Sean Cunningham of NBC Sacramento confirms the news.
Hunter, Sacramento’s lone trade-deadline acquisition, suffered an eye injury in his second game with the team and missed the final three games before the All-Star break due to left eye iritis, an inflammation of the iris.
The 28-year-old fully practiced Wednesday and appeared close to returning, but he missed Thursday’s loss to Orlando, Sacramento’s 15th straight defeat, and will now sit out the final 25 games of the season.
Hunter joins Domantas Sabonis (knee surgery) and Zach LaVine (hand surgery) as Kings players ruled out for the year, with Sacramento holding the NBA’s worst record at 12-45.
The fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft, Hunter spent five-and-a-half seasons with Atlanta before a stint in Cleveland and was traded to Sacramento earlier this month in a three-team deal that sent Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder to the Cavaliers.
In 45 games this season, Hunter averaged 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 26.1 minutes, shooting .415/.305/.867.
Hunter is earning $23.3MM this season and is under contract through ’26/27, when he will make $24.9MM before free agency.
As cap expert Yossi Gozlan observes, the Kings are expected to qualify for a hardship exception with Hunter, Sabonis, LaVine, and Dylan Cardwell (left ankle sprain) all sidelined long term, while also holding an open roster spot and a two-way vacancy after promoting Cardwell.
De'Andre Hunter To Undergo Season-Ending Eye Surgery https://t.co/1NeTOS82hW pic.twitter.com/vZTZM1kcbo
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 20, 2026
