Kings made the best decision of the season after the trade deadline

While the trade deadline has come and gone without much movement from the Sacramento Kings, it's the decision they made after the deadline that offers hope for the future. The Kings have officially signed Dylan Cardwell to a multi-year NBA contract, cementing him as a core player in the rebuild.

Even the Kings get it right once in a while. Not only did they draft well in 2026 by picking up Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud, but they also picked up undrafted rookie Dylan Cardwell on a two-way contract. All three of them are proving to be great rookie assets to the team with huge upsides.

Thanks to a series of injuries, all three of them got chances to shine in the front half of the season. This was particularly important for Cardwell, who was spending most of his time in the G League. When the Kings called his number, he was ready to go and made a huge impression.

The only trade the Kings made before the trade deadline moved three players off the roster and brought in one, De'Andre Hunter. That left a couple of spots open on the roster, one of which has now been smartly filled by Cardwell, who Sacramento has just signed to a four-year deal.

Sacramento signing Cardwell was an absolute no-brainer

Over the course of the season, Dylan Cardwell has proven himself to be one of the top defensive assets the Kings have. Admittedly, that's not a high bar to get over for a team that has had no defensive presence to speak of for years. That shouldn't diminish how good Dylan is.

If you look at the entire rookie class across the NBA, Cardwell is first in blocks per game, as well as second in rebounds per game. On top of that, he's third in total blocks and 11th in total rebounds. And if you dial in a bit deeper, he's sixth among rookies in offensive rebounds.

Cardwell is fearless on defense, staring down the likes of Joel Embiid without flinching. While he doesn't put down huge numbers on offense, he is explosive and an impressive lob threat. Plus, his energy and positivity are unmatched in the league.

Dylan Cardwell is the kind of player that people want to root for, and that is something Kings' fans need that right now. Not signing him would have been a major unforced error. The fact that Sacramento's front office didn't drop the ball on this one is actually a good sign.