While fans were upset that the Sacramento Kings didn't make bigger moves at the trade deadline, they did manage to bring in De'Andre Hunter. That move was more important than Hunter, though, as it opened up roster space to do what the Kings really wanted to do by signing Dylan Cardwell.
Fans, NBA front offices, and pundits were all expecting massive trades from the Kings at the deadline in early February. To be fair, they all knew the Kings needed to make huge moves with players like Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine to begin the rebuild process in earnest.
None of that happened. The respective contracts of Sabonis and LaVine are too big to move, and likely will keep them both on the Kings for at least one more season. The market for them at these prices is basically non-existent, especially when said prices decline in a season or two.
Ultimately, Sacramento made one trade that sent Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, and Dario Saric to other teams while bringing in De'Andre Hunter. Only time will tell if Hunter turns out to be a good addition to the team, but the real value of that trade is evident right now.
Dylan Cardwell was the real prize of that Kings' trade
Sacramento picked up the undrafted rookie center in the offseason, putting Cardwell on a two-way contract. Thanks to the never-ending injury parade running over the Kings, he got the chance to get on the court with the main roster. And he definitely took full advantage of the opportunity.
Among rookies, Cardwell is one of the best shot blockers and rebounders in the league. On top of that, he's an impressive lob threat. But it's his energy on home court that has endeared him to the Sactown fans in Golden 1 Center. It was obvious that he needed to be on a full NBA contract.
Trading for Hunter was good, but getting Cardwell on a proper contract was great. The Kings already know exactly how he fits into the team and what he brings to the table. Creating a roster spot for Cardwell had to be a huge motivation for getting this trade to work.
Without making the Hunter trade, the Kings did not have a roster spot for Cardwell and ran the risk of losing him to free agency after the season. If nothing else, pulling that deal together at least cemented the rookie core that Sacramento can build around moving forward.