Losing an overtime game by one point thanks to a bad call by a referee is a bitter pill to swallow. That's why it's important that the Sacramento Kings focus on the good parts of the evening, such as Dylan Cardwell, Nique Clifford, and Maxime Raynaud all having great games against the Blazers.
As the Kings' front office plots the course of the upcoming rebuild, there are several players on the roster they absolutely need to keep. In particular, their 2025 rookie class members are all looking like future stars. And in the case of one rookie, that path is already coming to fruition.
During the 2025 NBA Draft, the Kings picked up Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud. They followed that up in the offseason by signing the undrafted rookie Dylan Cardwell. He's spent much of the season with the Stockton Kings in the G League and is doing quite well.
While Clifford is having a slow start, Raynaud has become a breakout star, both in Sacramento and across the league. He recently made his first appearance on the Kia Rookie Ladder, which is pretty impressive. Last night's faceoff with the Blazers proved how good all three are.
The Kings drafted incredibly well in 2025
Maxime Raynaud led the charge as the starting center for the Kings, a role he's been serving in since the injuries to both Domantas Sabonis and Drew Eubanks. Last night was a watershed moment for him as he finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Dylan Cardwell also had an impressive evening. racking up eight points, seven rebounds, one assist, and three blocks. Nique Clifford was a bit quieter with eight points and two rebounds. The major positive for him was that he looked more aggressive on the court than he had in the past.
These three rookies should be at the core of the Kings' future plans for the rebuild and beyond. Raynaud has found his feet in the NBA incredibly quickly. He just collected his second career double-double and a career high in points. Both Cardwell and Clifford are right behind him in development.
Sacramento is looking at trading pretty much anyone on its roster as part of its rebuild. But these three rookies have earned a place on the no-trade list. If the Kings do this right, they are looking at the core to rebuild the franchise over the next several years.