Devin Carter has an incredible perspective about being traded, especially for a 23-year-old — though it may help that his old man played in the NBA.
The 13th overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft and Sacramento Kings point guard spoke out about the potential for a trade to the Golden State Warriors.
Carter played 36 games for the Kings in his rookie season but averaged only 11 minutes per game. He averaged 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game for Sacramento.
Why Would The Kings Trade Devin Carter?
Coming out of Providence College, Carter was the 12th-rated prospect in the 2024 draft, which led Jonathan Givony of ESPN to say “He could be an appealing fit next to a more dynamic facilitator.”
So Carter would have fit next to DeAaron Fox, but Carter missed most of the year with injuries, and Fox requested a trade then was dealt to the San Antonio Spurs.
With the Kings trying to reload around DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, dealing a highly touted prospect like Carter, especially with Sacramento acquiring point guard Dennis Schroder and linked to Russell Westbrook, they could use Carter — who has been more of a combo guard and is still learning the point-guard position — as a trade chip.
Why Are The Warriors Interested in Devin Carter?
The Dubs are loaded with guards, but Carter could inject some valuable youth into Golden State’s veteran-laden lineup.
“Carter is a defensive menace and tenacious lead guard whose significant improvement as a jump-shooter caused his draft stock to explode as a junior,” Givony wrote ahead of draft night on ESPN.com in 2024.
The Kings might be loathe to deal a high-ceiling prospect to their regional rivals, but Golden State would also have a hard time trading restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga to the Kings.
Still, KXTV’s Matt George reported the Kings’ initial offer in a sign-and-trade included Carter going west to San Francisco, though the Warriors balked at the package.
Still, Carter and draft capital could be a nice consolation prize, with Kuminga unlikely to return to Golden State and few teams with enough cap space to fit in the power forward.
What Did Devin Carter Say About Trade Rumors?
Like Devin, Carter’s dad Anthony was also a point guard, who played for six NBA teams over his 13-season NBA career.
So, naturally Devin learned a lot from his dad’s experience.
“My pops played for 13 years,” Carter told the Sacramento Bee while participating in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. “He’s been traded a lot. I just talk to him about how he handled it.
“That will stay between us, what me and my pops be talking about, but I just come in to work every day, obviously thankful for the opportunity to be here, show up with a ready-to-work mentality all the time, and it is what it is. It’s a business.”
Carter has been the Kings’ primary point guard in Las Vegas. That has helped him both hone his skills as a pro point guard and potentially showcase his game to his next team, since basically the entire basketball world is on hand.
“I feel like I’ve progressed a lot,” Carter said. “Hopefully I can showcase that in Vegas.”
