When the Sacramento Kings were decimated by injuries in December, rookie center Dylan Cardwell came up from the G League and laid down the law. He returned against the Mavericks and delivered the kind of defensive presence the Kings need to be even remotely competitive now and in the future.
One of the few positives this season for the Kings has been their rookie squad. Before the season began, a lot of fans and pundits thought the big name would be Nique Clifford. He has played well, but not consistently, and sometimes lacks aggression. But he's getting there.
The big surprise has been Maxime Raynaud. A rookie center out of Stanford, he has been covering for the injured Domantas Sabonis as a starter and absolutely killing it. After a scary near-miss injury, Raynaud was back to form against the Mavs with 14 points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
Then there's Dylan Cardwell. He has spent much of the season as a starter for Sacramento's G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. Thanks to all the injuries in December, Cardwell was called up and made the most of his opportunity. His dominant defense and impressive energy are undeniable.
Cardwell makes a great Sacramento return
Players returning from injury sent Dylan back down to the G League, only for him to come back after a fresh batch of injured players hit the bench. Honestly, the King missed him. Without Cardwell on the court, Sacramento's defense lacked focus and energy. This rookie changes all of that.
Against the Mavericks, Cardwell collected four points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one block. On top of that, he had the best Plus Minus rating out of any member of the Kings roster that game. After the last few weeks, there's no denying his impact on the Kings' defensive presence.
When you look at his stats, it's quite possible that Cardwell is the best rim protector the Kings have right now. He rarely leaves a game without a block, his highest total being five in one game. With more minutes and more reps, the rookie could become one of the league's best defenders.
Cardwell is on a two-way contract, meaning the number of NBA games he can play is limited. Keeping that in mind, it might behoove the Kings to look into converting him into a normal contract, given what he brings to the table. If they need to cut someone, Dario Saric probably wants out.