At this point, there is no doubt that the Sacramento Kings' defense is suffering greatly without the presence of Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell. The Kings' towers of power are both injured, with no official returns announced. That's going to be a problem, as they are key to this franchise.
Both Cardwell and Raynaud had spectacular rookie seasons in Sacramento. Numerous long-term injuries to veterans, particularly Domantas Sabonis, created openings for each of them to get big minutes. It's safe to say that this duo put that time to good use, quickly earning the respect of fans.
Unfortunately, their sophomore campaigns have gotten off to rocky starts thanks to preseason injuries. Cardwell suffered a left calf strain, which has kept him on the bench. Raynaud's injury was a bit more spectacular, as he got his patella smashed in by well-known thug Stephen Curry.
As it stands right now, Cardwell is beginning his return to the court and is set to be re-evaluated around November 2nd. Raynaud's injury is a bit more severe. As such, his healing and rehab program continues, with his next re-evaluation coming in mid-November. The Kings certainly need them back.
Raynaud and Cardwell are core defensive players
What little defensive identity the Kings have is largely centered around Cardwell and Raynaud. Cardwell is a legit rim protector, while Raynaud brings pressure to the paint. That's the kind of thing Sabonis doesn't do, as he's basically just a warm body on defense. Air Bud would be more effective.
Sacramento isn't having a problem scoring right now. Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, and Sabonis are all putting up big numbers. At the same time, they are not exactly defensively sound players. There's still hope for Acuff, assuming the Kings get a better coach, but the other two are all but lost causes.
Getting either Raynaud or Cardwell back sooner rather than later would make a huge difference. Having them both in the rotation, if not on the court together, might even change the Kings' fortunes a bit. They'd at least be able to put up a reasonable defense against their opponents on occasion.
The key thing here is that this duo returns healthy and ready to play. There's no sense in rushing them back, as even they can't save this trainwreck of a season. Raynaud and Cardwell will help, but the problems that need to be fixed are bigger than them. It'll just be nice to see them on the court.
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