The Sacramento Kings made a savvy roster move this week, converting rookie big man Dylan Cardwell’s two-way deal into a standard NBA contract. The four-year, $8.28 million agreement comes on the heels of a trade that sent Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis out in exchange for De’Andre Hunter - a deal that not only shuffled the depth chart but opened up the necessary roster spot to make Cardwell’s promotion possible.
For a Kings franchise still searching for consistency and identity, this is a step in the right direction. Cardwell may not have the name recognition yet, but he’s quietly been making his case in limited minutes.
At 24, he’s an older rookie - but that maturity has translated into a steady, high-energy presence off the bench. He’s averaging 1.7 blocks in just 20 minutes per game, showing off the kind of rim protection Sacramento has desperately needed.
What’s stood out most about Cardwell is his motor. He doesn’t coast.
Every time he steps on the floor, he brings effort on the glass and a willingness to do the dirty work - the kind of intangibles that don’t always show up in the box score but matter over the course of an 82-game season. He’s not just a body in the paint; he’s a tone-setter.
And for a Kings team that has struggled to find defensive consistency, that’s valuable.
The timing of this move is also worth noting. Sacramento came close to moving Domantas Sabonis at the trade deadline, and while nothing materialized, that situation could resurface in the offseason.
If the Kings do revisit a Sabonis trade - or even just opt to manage his workload more carefully down the stretch - Cardwell could see his role expand sooner rather than later. Whether it’s spot minutes or a larger rotational opportunity, he’s now positioned to make an impact.
Meanwhile, the trade that made this possible - sending out Schroder and Ellis for Hunter - helps clear up some of the team’s backcourt congestion, but it also adds a significant contract to the books. Hunter brings size and defensive upside on the wing, but at a price that limits flexibility moving forward. And with the Kings holding onto Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan through the deadline, many of the same roster construction questions remain.
There’s still a sense that Sacramento is stuck in the middle - not quite rebuilding, not quite contending. If they decide to pivot this offseason, expectations around potential returns for their stars may need to be tempered.
But in the meantime, moves like locking in Cardwell are the kind of incremental wins that can build a foundation. He’s not a franchise-changer, but he’s the kind of player who helps teams win games - and right now, the Kings need more of those.