Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud gave the Sacramento Kings something to hang onto on the defensive end last season, even as the team stumbled to the third-worst defensive rating in NBA history.
Both rookies finished among the top 10 in blocks, a notable bright spot for a team that needed resistance at the rim wherever it could find it. Cardwell landed third among rookies with 67 blocks, trailing only New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen. Raynaud tied Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecomb for eighth with 39.
Cardwell’s total stands out even more when you factor in availability. He played 44 games, which was six more than Dallas Mavericks center Moussa Cisse, the only rookie on the list with fewer appearances.
The undrafted big man averaged 1.5 blocks, and his minutes climbed once Domantas Sabonis was shut down after season-ending surgery on a torn right meniscus. Coach Doug Christie moved Cardwell into a bench role for 20.6 minutes per game.
That extra run mattered. Sacramento was chasing defense down the stretch, and Cardwell answered with real rim protection that helped swing close games.
In the Kings’ 117-113 win over the Pelicans on April 3, he took over the final sequence. Cardwell erased Zion Williamson’s layup with fewer than 15 seconds left, then shared an energetic celebration with Russell Westbrook.
On the next possession, he stayed with Jeremiah Fears the length of the floor and swatted away a dunk attempt.
The 24-year-old started his career on a two-year deal before signing a four-year, $8.28 million standard contract in February.
Raynaud’s defensive reputation isn’t built the same way, but the physical tools are hard to miss. At 7-foot-1, the Frenchman has the size you want from a rim protector; what comes next is sharpening the instincts to match.
When he was on the floor, Sacramento leaned on drop coverage, and opponents went right at him. He sometimes answered by blocking shots after taking the first hit.
That’s the next step for the second-round pick: keeping his hands up, tracking the ball, and timing his contests better so he can become more reliable as a shot-altering presence. Offensively, though, he already looks the part. Raynaud has a soft touch around the basket and built a strong two-man game with Westbrook, whom he credited for much of his success before the veteran guard recently retired.
After the season, Raynaud also earned a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team.
For Sacramento, Cardwell and Raynaud form a young frontcourt with real promise. If they keep growing on defense, they can help tighten up the Kings’ end of the floor and give the team a better chance to win games.
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