While a number of Sacramento Kings are injured for the rest of the season, Dylan Cardwell is back. He's slowly finding this game, again, but he has yet to collect a block since his return. It's a signature part of Cardwell's game, and the Kings will need him to get back in the groove before next season.
Like Maxime Raynaud, picking up Cardwell has proven to be one of the Kings' smartest moves in the last year. Cardwell went undrafted in 2025, but Sacramento signed him to a two-way contract in the offseason. That two-way turned into a standard contract just after the trade deadline.
Cardwell pulled that off with his high-energy game and incredible defensive play. He's become one of the top rookie rebounders and blockers in the league, something that hasn't gone unnoticed. Up until his injury, Cardwell was getting a ton of minutes and delivering huge performances.
Since his return, head coach Doug Christie has been playing Cardwell a bit less than before. That's likely the right call as the team doesn't want to risk Cardwell's rehabilitation with only a few games left in the season. They want him healthy and ready to roll for 2026-2027.
Cardwell needs to get back into gear
In the four games since Cardwell made his comeback, he has yet to register a single block, which is crazy for him. It's the first time this season that he's gone more than one game without a block. Before the injury, he was averaging 1.6 blocks per game.
It isn't that he's not playing well or anything like that. During the Kings' most recent game, Cardwell had nine points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Even more impressive is the fact that nine of those 13 rebounds were offensive. The rest of the Kings had a total of five offensive rebounds.
For some reason, the blocks just aren't happening right now. The issue could be as simple as being out of the defensive rhythm after sitting on the bench for roughly a month. It's going to take time for him to rebuild his confidence and find that blocking mojo once again.
When he does, Cardwell will be a force to be reckoned with in 2026-2027. Alongside Raynaud, this duo will be the new twin towers of the NBA, taking apart opponents on offense and defense. Next season has the potential to be incredibly interesting in Sacramento.