The Sacramento Kings have dumped not one but two former Golden State Warriors players in a trade on Saturday night, executing a three-team deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls.
Former Warrior veterans Dennis Schroder and Dario Saric were only in their first season with the Kings, but they failed to see out the year with the franchise who've acquired Cavaliers wing De'Andre Hunter.
Kings dump former Warrior pair Dennis Schroder and Dario Saric
The Kings, Cavaliers and Bulls have broken the league-wide deadlock, with no deals having taken place since Trae Young's move to the Washington Wizards earlier in the month.
As part of the deal first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, Schroder and Keon Ellis have headed to Cavaliers, while Saric and two future second-round picks will head to the Bulls.
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
Reports of the deal emerged from The Stein Line earlier on Saturday, while Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also reported the Saric's potential inclusion in a trade that's now been formalized.
Schroder's three-year, $44.4 million contract always looked a strange one from the moment he signed it in free agency, especially to Warrior fans who had watched the German point guard struggle significantly during his less than two months with the franchise.
Schroder was acquired by Golden State in December 2024, playing in 24 games with the franchise where he averaged 10.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists on 37.5% shooting from the floor and 32.2% from 3-point range. He was then moved again at the deadline, heading to the Detroit Pistons as part of the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade.
The Cavaliers will now be Schroder's fourth team in the past 12 months alone, while being his 11th team overall in a 13-year career which has included two stints with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Kings have quickly regretted their decision to sign Schroder in free agency, and it's easy to forget that in order to make room to acquire the 32-year-old, they had to trade Jonas Valancuinas to the Denver Nuggets for Saric.
Saric appeared in only five games for the Kings, averaging just 1.0 point and 1.2 rebounds. His impact in the league has diminished since departing the Warriors in the 2024 offseason, having averaged over 17 minutes in his sole year with the franchise.
Many would have presumed that any Kings trade would involve the Warriors and a move for Jonathan Kuminga, but we'll now wait and see if that's still forthcoming over the next few days.