Dylan Cardwell is back on the floor, and even in a rough stretch for Sacramento, he gave the Kings something they badly needed.
The second-year big man played his second game of the season against the Spurs after missing the first seven regular-season contests with a left calf strain suffered late in the preseason. Sacramento still took another blowout loss, but Cardwell’s return stood out as a bright spot. He looked good, and the Kings are already seeing how much they missed what he brings on defense.
His first game back came against the Lakers, and that outing was understandably quieter. It was his first appearance of the regular season and his first action after the injury, so the performance came with some built-in caution. Game two, though, looked much closer to the version Sacramento had last season.
In a little more than 15 minutes, Cardwell finished with nine points, two rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. He also posted a plus-7, which was the best mark on the team by a wide margin. The numbers matched the eye test: his presence changed things on that end of the floor right away.
That matters for a Kings team that has been leaning on Domantas Sabonis at center. For now, that setup is not changing, and Sacramento is still paying Sabonis enough money that a quick shift seems unlikely. The only real path away from that would be finding a team willing to take on his contract and opening the door for him to move on from the Kings.
Until then, Cardwell needs a real role. Sacramento should be giving him at least 15 to 20 minutes a night, and honestly, that feels like the floor based on how important he is to the defense. He also gives them something else: a legitimate lob threat.
But the biggest thing Cardwell adds is energy. He plays with a joy and positivity that jump off the screen, and it shows in the building too. Even when the Kings are getting blown out, he has a way of pulling Golden 1 Center into the game.
That’s why Sacramento can’t afford to let his potential sit on the sideline. Sabonis playing 30-plus minutes a night is not helping this team win, and the Kings need to make sure Cardwell keeps getting on the floor. That gets trickier once Maxime Raynaud returns from injury, but the message is simple: don’t forget about Cardwell.
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Leaky Black got the start and was one of the few bright spots, leading the Kings with 12 points while adding a little of everything else across 40 minutes. Dylan Cardwell also gave Sacramento a boost in his return from injury, producing 9 points, 3 assists and 3 blocks in limited time, but the broader issue remains the same: the Kings are still trying to find combinations that can steady them before the season gets away from them. [Read more 🡒]