De’Andre Hunter: Eye Surgery Ends His Season
Feb 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward De’andre Hunter (15) reacts after scoring during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
De’Andre Hunter will not play again this season with the Sacramento Kings. The 28-year-old forward must undergo eye surgery that prematurely ends his 2025-2026 campaign, according to NBA journalists Chris Haynes and Marc Stein.
Diagnosis Worsened After Medical Reevaluation
Hunter underwent the surgical procedure Friday afternoon, as announced by the Kings in an official statement. His left eye was reevaluated Friday morning due to persistent iritis, and doctors diagnosed a retinal detachment that required immediate operation.
The California team expects Hunter to recover completely, and an update on his status will be provided in eight weeks. This injury comes as the forward appeared on the verge of returning to play after being a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.
BREAKING: Sacramento Kings forward De’Andre Hunter will undergo season-ending eye surgery, league sources tell @TheSteinLine and me.
📸: @SacramentoKings pic.twitter.com/IAvaPRALoz
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 20, 2026
Hunter had initially missed the Kings’ last three games before the All-Star break due to left eye iritis (inflammation of the iris). The injury occurred during his second game in a Sacramento uniform, after being acquired as the team’s only addition before the trade deadline.
Sacramento Decimated by Injuries at Season’s End
Hunter becomes the third highly paid Kings player to see his season end prematurely, joining Domantas Sabonis (knee surgery) and Zach LaVine (hand surgery). This series of injuries hits hard a team that holds the worst record in the NBA with 12 wins and 45 losses.
Fourth pick of the 2019 draft, Hunter had spent his first five and a half seasons with Atlanta before being traded to Cleveland last year. Although he performed well with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the end of the 2024-2025 season, he struggled with his outside shooting this season before being sent to the Kings in a three-team trade.
This season, Hunter played 45 games averaging 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 26.1 minutes per game. His shooting percentages were 41.5% from the field, 30.5% from 3-point range and 86.7% from the free throw line. Under contract through 2026-2027 with a salary of $23.3 million this season, he will earn $24.9 million next season before becoming a free agent.
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