Sacramento just can't seem to catch a break, with De'Andre Hunter now the latest with bad news.
The Sacramento Kings witnessed bad things coming in threes after the NBA All-Star Game Break.
De'Andre Hunter is the latest setback -- with the traded asset via the Cleveland Cavaliers officially out for the rest of the season Friday. This setback arrives after the Kings lost their 15th straight game.
Hunter's eye irritation proved to become too much to overcome.
This marks the third different Kings player to shut it down for the rest of the season. Zach LaVine (hand surgery) and Domantas Sabonis (knee) also underwent the knife to close off their 2025-26 campaign.
Yet in the case of Hunter, his situation becomes a reversal of fortune.
De'Andre Hunter's Eye Update Far Different Before Friday
Hunter was seen participating in practice drills with his Kings teammates back on Wednesday.
He even received media requests after the practice -- allowing him to better explain how his eye is feeling.
"(My eye’s) not all the way there yet, but it’s definitely a lot better than it was," Hunter said to reporters.
His eye wasn't a detriment at the time.
"I’m able to actually play and train and stuff like that. So, it’s progressing really well," he said.
Hunter was experiencing iritis in his left eye, which is inflammation occurring inside the eye itself. He was initially diagnosed with the condition on Feb. 8...three days after the NBA Trade Deadline.
Hunter, again, arrived to the state capitol of Sacramento via the Cleveland Cavaliers. He became a part of the Keon Ellis/Dennis Schroeder deal that also included Dario Saric heading to the Chicago Bulls in the three-team deal.
Was Hunter Trade All for Nothing?
First off, iritis is a rough condition and an ailment not worth ignoring. So in Hunter's case, this becomes unexpected and something beyond his control..
This doesn't mean that the trade was all for nothing. It's not Hunter's fault that he developed the condition, nor is it his fault when it comes to the Kings' structure.
This is a team building for next year and years to come -- and that includes Hunter being a part of the plans moving forward.
There were fans who looked forward to seeing what kind of chemistry he and Keegan Murray would develop together. Now that part must wait until next season. And that campaign will likely feature one of the prized projected incoming rookies in the NBA Draft Lottery between AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Kingston Flemings.
But again, the Hunter news adds to the litany of setbacks this Kings team has endured. Plus helping become a microcosm of how this season has gone.
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