This is going to sound insane, but the Sacramento Kings narrowly beat the Houston Rockets thanks to defense. A big part of that was Dylan Cardwell, an undrafted rookie who has been playing in the G League and is proving to be a huge defensive difference maker for the Kings.
Cardwell went undrafted in 2025 but was signed by the Kings in the offseason to a two-way contract. He was on the main roster for a couple of games to start the season, then was sent to the G League to play with the Stockton Kings. It's gone pretty well for him.
The 6 feet ten inch, 255-pound center was averaging 10.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. Additionally, his lockdown defense in the paint and at the rim cannot be denied. Recently, injuries forced Sacramento to call Cardwell back up to the NBA, and it has gone pretty well, to say the least.
Cardwell is putting on a defensive clinic
Since returning to the Sacramento lineup three games ago, Cardwell is averaging 4.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game. Over the course of those same three games, he had a total of 10 blocks. To put that into perspective, the rest of the team had eight blocks during those games.
More than what you see on a stat sheet, Cardwell has quickly become an absolute defensive menace for the Kings. He is big, strong, and energetic. Cardwell has that rare combination of hustle and power that perfectly disrupts the offense. He's just there, and always in the way.
Plus, it's impossible to deny Dylan's enthusiasm for the game. This is someone who is obviously just happy to be there, a positive attitude that is infectious to both his team and Sacramento's fans. And he's already building quite the rhythm with fellow rookies Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud.
The Kings need to make a big move with Cardwell
Adding Dylan Cardwell to the main roster in a permanent capacity seems like a better and better idea the more he plays. Being part of the Stockton Kings has done wonders for his development, but Cardwell is ready to make the leap back to the NBA. There is a small paperwork issue to deal with.
Being on a two-way contract means that Sacramento is limited in how many NBA games he can play. Unless they can convert his current contract to a regular contract, Dylan is essentially playing on borrowed time. Making the shift to a full contract will have to be factored into the rebuild.
Now that trade season has arrived, the Kings may be able to move enough players and cap space around to get Cardwell on the regular roster. That's something they should strongly consider, as Cardwell's defensive impact cannot be ignored.