The Sacramento Kings have a lot to figure out over the next few seasons. One decision that might have already been made organically is which player is going to lead the rebuild. Sophomore Dylan Cardwell is the man for the job as the joy and professionalism he brings to the court is unmistakable.
No one in the NBA takes their spot less for granted than Cardwell. He went from undrafted to a two-way contract to a full league contract in the span of several months. Cardwell is grateful for his spot in every interview he gives, which is refreshing to see in the modern NBA.
On top of that, Cardwell genuinely looks like he's having fun when he's playing. He definitely takes basketball seriously, but he also manages to find the joy in it. That has already endeared him to the Sactown fans, the Kings' coaching staff, and his fellow teammates.
More than that, there's a combination of thoughtfulness and seriousness to how Cardwell approaches the game. That maturity comes in part from putting in five full seasons on a college court for Auburn. He didn't arrive in the NBA as a fresh-faced 19-year-old looking for his first serious reps.
Cardwell will become the roster leader the Kings need
Sacramento needs leaders on this squad to make the rebuild work. Reportedly, the front office and coaching staff have made it clear to both Maxime Raynaud and Cardwell that they expect that kind of effort from the duo. It's an expectation that kicks into gear as soon as training camp starts.
There's no doubt that both Raynaud and Cardwell will be key to the rebuild, both as players and as leaders. But Cardwell in particular seems wired for this kind of responsibility. If you've ever seen how he handles the media and interviews, you'll understand exactly what that means in this scenario.
Cardwell stepping up in a major way could be huge for Darius Acuff Jr. in particular. The Kings are taking a questionable 'trial by fire' approach to developing the rookie. Just because he's the point guard doesn't mean he has to be the locker room leader. Cardwell being that guy takes on that stress.
Keeping all of that in mind, it's on the Kings to not to screw this up. They need to support and develop Cardwell along the way, not just assume he's going to figure it all out. It's bad enough that they're already doing that with Acuff. Sacramento doesn't need to break two young guns at the same time.
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