There's no question that Nique Clifford had a solid outing for the Sacramento Kings against the Pistons. At the same time, it's hard to ignore that Maxime Raynaud's struggles continued while Dylan Cardwell had a great game. The reason for that might be the impact of Domantas Sabonis.
Throughout the month of December, rookie center Maxime Raynaud was on a hot streak. He was pulling down big numbers, both on scoring and on rebounds. It led to him becoming a fixture on the Kia Rookie Ladder and a huge hit with the Sactown fans. He was a rookie everyone was talking about.
That was in the absence of Sabonis. Since Domantas returned from injury, Maxime's minutes have declined, his usage has changed, and he's no longer a starter. It's impossible not to notice that his game in January is nowhere near what it was in December.
Cardwell finds his rhythm on the Kings
The same has not been true for Dylan Cardwell, who has been picking up momentum for weeks now. He has become a reliable defensive presence for the Kings, having collected at least one block in almost every game in January, with a high of four blocks in one game this month.
More than that, he seems to fit in better with Sabonis on the court. Raynaud can defend, but he's definitely a stronger offensive presence than Cardwell. That is also where Sabonis excels, meaning he is taking touches away from Raynaud when they're both on the court together.
On the other hand, Cardwell complements Sabonis' skillset. It's not that Cardwell can't score, but he is much stronger on defense. That's exactly where Sabonis is the weakest. Plus, Domantas is also a solid offensive facilitator, meaning he can set Dylan up for success on offense, as well.
Two Kings' rookies on opposite trajectories
This should, hopefully, be a temporary situation at best. The Kings are working to trade Sabonis, which will definitely open things up at center for both Cardwell and Raynaud. If Sacramento can increase Maxime's minutes and usage, it will put his development back on the right path.
The concern will then be Cardwell. He's on a two-way contract and the number of NBA games he can play is limited. The Kings will have to return him to the G League at some point, unless they can convert him to a regular contract. That might be doable after Sabonis gets traded.
Essentially, the future of the Kings hinges on them being able to move Sabonis by the trade deadline and continuing to develop both Cardwell and Raynaud. If they can pull that off in the next couple of weeks, the future for the Kings will actually look brighter than it does now.