Dylan Cardwell’s Defensive Grit Shines in Kings’ Loss to Raptors
The Sacramento Kings may have taken another hit in the standings Wednesday night, falling 122-106 to the Toronto Raptors, but the box score doesn’t tell the full story. While the loss drops the Kings to 12-33 on the season, it also highlighted the emergence of a player who's quickly becoming impossible to ignore: rookie big man Dylan Cardwell.
Let’s get the tough part out of the way first - the Kings were outscored 43-21 in a brutal third quarter that turned a competitive game into a runaway. Toronto's Scottie Barnes took over during that stretch, pouring in 14 of his 23 points on a near-flawless 5-of-6 shooting performance.
He mixed power with finesse, attacking the rim with confidence and knocking down mid-range jumpers that left Sacramento scrambling for answers. By the end of the night, Barnes had stacked up 23 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals - a stat line that speaks to just how disruptive he was on both ends.
But while Barnes was the headline act for the Raptors, Cardwell quietly stole the spotlight for Sacramento with a performance that won’t jump off the page in terms of scoring, but was every bit as impactful in its own right.
Cardwell finished with just two points, but his 13 rebounds and four blocks told the real story. He brought energy, hustle, and a level of defensive presence that’s been sorely needed on this Kings squad. Head coach Doug Christie made it clear postgame just how much Cardwell’s contributions matter - even if they don’t always show up in highlight reels.
“We value what he does,” Christie said. “And I don't think everybody values what he does, but for us, defense really means something.
Rebounding really means something. Rim protection really means something.
Communication really means something.”
That’s high praise from a coach who knows a thing or two about defense. And it’s not just lip service - Cardwell’s play has earned it.
The 24-year-old came into the league as an undrafted, raw prospect, but he’s making it hard for Sacramento to keep him on a two-way deal much longer. He’s already making a legitimate case for a standard contract.
In 18 games this season, Cardwell is averaging 4.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53% from the floor. His 113 defensive rating per 100 possessions puts him in solid territory for a rookie still finding his footing. And perhaps most impressively, he’s pulling down 3.0 offensive rebounds per game - creating extra possessions that often swing momentum in tight games.
What makes Cardwell’s rise even more compelling is the edge he plays with. He celebrates the small wins - a deflection, a box-out, a hard-fought rebound - and that energy is contagious. He’s not just out there filling minutes; he’s making an impact, and fans are starting to take notice.
Sure, there’s polish still to be added to his game. He’s not a finished product, and the offensive side of the ball remains a work in progress.
But what he brings defensively - the timing, the effort, the physicality - is already NBA-ready. And for a Kings team in need of stability and grit, that’s invaluable.
Cardwell might not be the name you expected to hear about in January, but he’s quickly becoming one of the league’s more intriguing young role players. And if he keeps this up, Sacramento’s front office is going to have a very easy decision to make when it comes to his future with the team.