Kings' Dylan Cardwell Has Sincere Message After Loss to Raptors

As Kings fans know by now, Dylan Cardwell is nothing if not entertaining. From the celebrations after big plays to refreshing energy on the glass and protecting the paint, the two-way rookie out of Auburn has helped the Kings in many areas where they have sorely needed it.

The Kings lost to the Toronto Raptors 122-109 last night, but Cardwell continued his stretch of great play, posting just two points but grabbing 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and blocking 4 shots in just 20 minutes.

Cardwell spoke to the joy with which he plays and embraces his role:

“In college I averaged 5 points per game. I rebounded the ball five times per game. I averaged 1.6 blocks per game. No one thought I was an NBA player. I’m not supposed to be here. . . I’m living my childhood dream. This is something I prayed about . . .This is a dream come true for me, and it can be taken away at any moment, but I love playing basketball,” Cardwell said.

Kings rookie two-way forward Dylan Cardwell talks about tonight's loss to the Raptors, not being able to stop Toronto from getting down hill in the second half and being appreciative of the opportunities he's had thus far. pic.twitter.com/uvAiIB3QHD
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) January 22, 2026

Embracing the Role

Hearing that Cardwell did not post otherworldly rebounding numbers at Auburn may shock some, but it is true. He averaged over 5 RPG just once in his five-year stint with the Tigers, when he was a fifth-year senior. However, Cardwell acknowledged how important developing the more traditional big skills.

“That’s how I’m going to stay in this league - being a rebounding guy, being an energy guy. That’s something I look forward to each and every day - to rebound the ball.”

Great self-awareness from Cardwell here. All too often - and specifically in Sacramento - it feels like we see bigs opt to prioritize developing guard skills over what will ultimately help them carve out sustainable roles that will keep them in the league for a long time.

Russell Westbrook says he's supportive of rookie center Dylan Cardwell's energy that he brings on the floor:

"I told him it's important to stay true to who you are. I'm loving how he's impacting the game in a variety of ways. It's good for our team."pic.twitter.com/0kdAE1zuok
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) January 17, 2026

Think Marvin Bagley masquerading as a stretch big in Sacramento, then reviving his career as a backup in Detroit and Washington once he leaned into being a lob threat. This also brings back memories of Willie Cauley-Stein comparing himself to Kristaps Porzingis, when he could have had a much easier time being DeAndre Jordan, who has enjoyed an 18-year career and earned over $180M doing (more or less) what Cauley-Stein was drafted to do.

It is refreshing to see Cardwell and his camp aware of what he needs to do to stick around, and attacking that role with enthusiasm. The Kings have been better for it.

Praise for the Beam Boys, Locker Room

On nights where Sacramento wins, Cardwell is one of the Beam Boys, a group of young Kings who are now the designated beam-lighters. Cardwell is clearly a fan of the bit and is very happy with his ensemble.

“Having Max, Nique out there with me being the Beam Boys? You couldn’t ask for a better group of guys.”

four beams in a row lets gooooo 🟣🔦🟣🔦

Winning Moment presented by @coorslight pic.twitter.com/SNWa12dYDC
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 17, 2026

Hard on-court product aside, the joy with which the Cardwell/Raynaud/Clifford trio have played with lately has just been fun to watch. Cardwell and Raynaud have been soaking up the bulk of the frontcourt minutes, and have held their own, with each providing slightly different skillsets at the 5.

Clifford, buried in Sacramento’s logjam for most of this season, has been getting more run over the last several games as Keon Ellis is back to logging DNP-CDs. Clifford has played over 20 minutes in each of the last two games. How Sacramento operates at the deadline will almost certainly be with Clifford’s development and runway in mind.

Cardwell’s praise for the team did not stop with the Beam Boys.

“You hear a lot about how the NBA is business, it’s cutthroat, your teammates are more worried about themselves,” Cardwell continued. “We might not be having a great season, but this is the best locker room I’ve really been a part of outside of my last year at Auburn. Everyone from Russell Westbrook to Drew Eubanks. Drew hasn’t been playing, but he still takes the time out of his day to come tell me ‘you could’ve done this better or you could’ve done that better. I really appreciate being on this team and being in this locker room.”

Fans (including myself) have certainly wondered why this team has so many veterans, considering they will, in all likelihood, pick in the top 4-6 this summer. Cardwell’s quote here shows exactly why it is important to have the right ones around in the early stages of a rebuild. Adults in the room showing the young players how to be a professional and do things the right way helps lay the foundation for a rebuild.

Conversion Looming?

Cardwell has played for the Sacramento Kings in 18 games this season, averaging 4.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in just under 19 minutes per game. He has suited up for 22 games, meaning he can suit up for 28 more games with the active roster before exhausting his two-way eligibility. With each rebound Cardwell secures and each post-score celebration, converting him feels like it should be a formality at this point.

Dylan Cardwell.

Sustaining a team's offensive rating with him on the floor might be a challenge, but he's such a big value-adder on the defensive end. Sacramento should keep him as long as possible. pic.twitter.com/wRkduexQlD
— Ersin Demir (@EDemirNBA) January 22, 2026

At that point, Sacramento will have to convert him to a standard minimum contract prorated for the rest of this season, as they did with Keon Ellis back in 2024. As Cardwell mentioned, he realizes that he is fortunate to be here. It is reasonable to expect him to want to convert and sign a longer contract to stay in Sacramento, where he is quickly cementing his fan-favorite status.

Cardwell and the Kings will look to get back in the win column tomorrow, when they begin a six-game road trip against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Embracing the Role

Praise for the Beam Boys, Locker Room

Conversion Looming?

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