Terms for Former Auburn C Dylan Cardwell's New NBA Contract Revealed

Former Auburn center Dylan Cardwell was reported on Tuesday to have a new deal with the Sacramento Kings. On Thursday, terms of his new contract were revealed.

Former Auburn center Dylan Cardwell signed a new deal with the Sacramento Kings. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

According to multiple reports on Tuesday, former Auburn Tigers center Dylan Cardwell earned a new NBA contract with the Sacramento Kings. On Thursday, ESPN insider Shams Charania revealed terms of the deal.

Cardwell signed a four-year deal, with ESPN 1320's James Ham reporting that Cardwell will make $871,000 over the course of the rest of this season and $2.15 million next season guaranteed. The final two years of the deal are not guaranteed, but if he were to remain with the Kings, Cardwell could earn $2.15 million in the third year and $2.74 million in the last year, with the final year being a team option. 

The Sacramento Kings are signing rookie center Dylan Cardwell to a four-year deal, agent Corey Marcum tells ESPN. The deal includes two fully guaranteed years. Cardwell has averaged 4.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 20 minutes this season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

While scoring has been light, Cardwell has emerged as a consistent rebounder, averaging 7.1 rebounds per game in his rookie season. He has averaged 4.7 points and 1.7 blocks per game, while playing 20 minutes on average.

His 1.7 blocks per game average puts him right underneath Detroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart and tied for seventh in the NBA with Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert.

The defensive output despite the lack of offensive production is reminiscent of his time with the Tigers. During his final season at Auburn, Cardwell averaged 1.4 blocks per game to help lead the Tigers to their second Final Four appearance in program history. 

Cardwell was also never a high scorer for the Tigers, as he only averaged 4.2 points per game in his five seasons at Auburn, while averaging similar minutes as he currently is with the Kings.

In all, the former Tiger has found his new home in Sacramento, and while he appears to be emerging as one of the league's young stars, he is not eligible for any of the NBA’s awards at the end of the season because of not playing in the required 65 games.

However, Cardwell could see his name among the top defenders in the league should he build off his current production.