The Sacramento Kings are deep in the throes of a rebuild, and right now, the growing pains are as real as they get. With a league-worst 12-41 record, they currently sit atop the Tankathon standings and just matched their longest losing streak since the 1991-92 season with their 11th straight defeat.
The franchise record? Fourteen.
That’s uncomfortably within reach.
Friday night’s 114-111 loss to the Clippers offered another glimpse into what this phase of the Kings’ journey is all about: development, opportunity, and resilience. Interim head coach Doug Christie leaned heavily on his younger rotation down the stretch - giving meaningful minutes to Devin Carter, Daeqwon Plowden, and rookies Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell.
“For me, it’s extremely tough (to lose), but that’s part of the job,” Christie said postgame. “The value for these young players is incredible… they’re finding their way.”
And that’s really the story right now in Sacramento. Wins may be hard to come by, but the Kings are investing in the future - and a few of those investments are already starting to pay dividends.
Take Dylan Cardwell, for example. The undrafted rookie center just posted his second career double-double, finishing with 14 points and 14 rebounds - both career highs - in his first game since being promoted to the standard roster. That promotion came with a four-year contract, a massive vote of confidence for a player who’s worked his way up from a two-way deal.
“He earned that through really, really hard work,” Christie said. “The kid has done a hell of a job… I’m proud of him and proud for him because he did the work. Kudos to him - that doesn’t happen often, and he affects winning.”
Cardwell’s new spot on the full-time roster came as part of a broader roster shakeup. The Kings cleared room by sending out Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, and Dario Saric in a three-team trade that brought De’Andre Hunter to Sacramento. But the deal wasn’t just about Hunter - it also created space for Cardwell to step into a full-time NBA role.
“One of the other byproducts of the deal that was important for us… was opening up a roster spot for a guy like Dylan Cardwell, who has more than earned it,” said Kings GM Scott Perry. “He does things that are very important for any successful basketball team.”
Perry didn’t hold back in praising the rookie’s impact: energetic defender, rim protector, switchable big who can guard on the perimeter, and an elite rebounder relative to his minutes. For a team searching for identity and toughness, Cardwell’s emergence is a bright spot.
As for Hunter, his Kings tenure is off to a rocky start. After a modest debut against Memphis (nine points in 26 minutes), he suffered a left eye injury in his second game and exited early. He struggled before the injury, shooting just 1-for-8 from the field and committing three turnovers in 25 minutes.
Still, the Kings aren’t focused on short-term results right now. This is about building something sustainable - and that means giving young players like Cardwell, Clifford, and Carter the reps they need to grow.
The losses sting, no doubt. But if this stretch helps forge the next core of Kings basketball, it might just be worth it.