Dylan

Cardwell

Cardwell strained his left calf late in the preseason and hasn’t played in any of the Kings’ regular-season games. He’ll miss another week before being re-evaluated, and the Kings will remain down three frontcourt contributors for now. In addition to Cardwell, the Kings are without Keegan Murray (ankle) and Maxime Raynaud (knee). That has opened the door for Jonathan Mogbo to play rotation minutes off the bench.

After missing practice on Monday, Cardwell is now set to miss the start of the season. Maxime Raynaud (knee) has also been ruled out for the start of the season, so the Kings will be thin down low behind Domantas Sabonis. Precious Achiuwa will likely be tasked with filling the void in a limited capacity.

It could be precautionary, but it is still worth noting. The Kings host the Trail Blazers for a preseason game on Tuesday, so Cardwell’s status for that may paint a better picture. With Maxime Raynaud expected to miss the start of the season with a right knee injury, Cardwell will likely start the year as the backup center, assuming he’s healthy.

Raynaud underwent an MRI on his right knee that revealed a right patellar subluxation, according to the team. He’ll be reevaluated in two weeks. Raynaud left Saturday night’s preseason game against the Warriors in the second quarter due to the injury. Considering he was taken to the locker room on a stretcher, it’s encouraging that it appears he was able to avoid a more significant injury. Dylan Cardwell will have more opportunities as the Kings’ backup center in Raynaud’s absence.

Raynaud was injured while attempting to set a screen for teammate Darius Acuff Jr. during the second quarter of Saturday’s exhibition. The second-year center appeared to take a hit to his right knee and immediately fell to the court in pain. Raynaud was eventually taken back to the locker room on a stretcher. If he misses time, Dylan Cardwell’s role becomes even more important behind starting center Domantas Sabonis.

Cardwell’s final stat line is one that category league managers dream of getting when the games actually count. Not selected in the 2025 draft, his defensive activity made the 6-foot-11 center a fan favorite as a rookie. And that should remain the case, especially if Cardwell can provide value similar to what he did on Monday. Of course, fantasy managers won’t expect to see him put up eight “stocks” and 12 rebounds consistently, but rotation minutes should be available. And if the Kings find a new home for Domantas Sabonis, Cardwell could become a player worth rostering in some standard leagues.

As an undrafted rookie last season, Cardwell was able to make a big impact on the defensive end, which he carried right over into summer league. He isn’t the most dynamic offensive player, but Cardwell is a valuable piece in the Kings’ frontcourt and should be able to contribute defensive stats when he gets the opportunity this upcoming season. However, with Domantas Sabonis healthy, the minutes may not be quite as plentiful.

Rostered in eight percent of Yahoo! leagues, Cardwell provided fantasy managers with an excellent stat line on Sunday. One game removed from blocking five shots in a win over the Pelicans, the rookie center recorded four more in the 138-109 loss to the Clippers. Add in the rebounds, steals and field-goal percentage, and Cardwell’s performance was an excellent capper to his Week 23. For fantasy managers in leagues that run through Week 24, the Kings play three games, and Cardwell should continue to play extended minutes.

Achiuwa is back after sitting out Tuesday’s loss to the Hornets. His return means that Patrick Baldwin Jr. will head to the bench, and Dylan Cardwell may miss out on a few minutes.

Achiuwa was held out of Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Hornets, with Patrick Baldwin Jr. logging 28 minutes as his replacement in the starting lineup. However, Dylan Cardwell grabbed 11 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench and is the superior streaming option if Achiuwa remains out.