We now know two things after the New York Knicks failed to poach Moussa Cisse from the Dallas Mavericks: The Leon Rose-led front office is going to use the final roster spot on a center, and that big man will likely be an athletic rebounding machine.
With that criteria in mind, we can also claim to know a third thing: The Knicks need to call the Sacramento Kings about Dylan Cardwell.
Dylan Cardwell would be a dream get for the Knicks under the circumstances
Listed between 6’10” and 6’11”, the 24-year-old big man seemingly came out of nowhere as a rookie. After going undrafted out of Auburn in 2025, he signed a two-way deal with the Kings, cracked their rotation in mid-December, and then basically never left it.
Cardwell is now on a standard contract that will pay him a measly $7.4 million through 2028-29 (team option). Any big man making, on average, less than 1.5 percent of the salary cap is a divine fit for a Knicks team constantly navigating tight margins beneath the second apron. It also just so happens Cardwell fits what the front office wants in its second Mitchell Robinson replacement, too.
First and foremost, there is the rebounding. Just five players last season averaged as many defensive (7.4) and offensive (5.9) boards per 75 possessions while matching Cardwell’s playing time (907 minutes): Robinson, Andre Drummond, Clint Capela, Donovan Clingan, and Moussa Cisse.
The soon-to-be sophomore’s overall defensive package is more well-rounded than Drummond's own. He is better at guarding on the perimeter, will end possessions more often with blocks, steals or charges, and already grades out as the more impactful rim protector.
Though Cardwell doesn’t stretch the floor on offense like Drummond, he has more layers to his arsenal. He is the better finisher at the rim, has flashed touch from mid-range, and can do more as a playmaker in the short roll, after grabbing offensive boards, and in hand-off situations.
Intriguing still, the Kings gave Cardwell a bunch of reps alongside other bigs—mainly Maxime Raynaud and Domantas Sabonis. Karl-Anthony Towns is more of a lethal spacer than either of them, which opens up dual-big possibilities to which the Knicks don’t currently have access with Drummond.
The Knicks need the Kings to go full Kangz
Cardwell’s gettability relative to New York’s asset collection is, as with any trade target, the primary obstacle. The Kings won’t be actively looking to unload a super-cheap center who’s already useful.
At the same time, both Sabonis and Raynaud are ahead of Cardwell in the rotation. Sacramento also re-signed Precious Achiuwa. Even if the team wants Cardwell to soak up reps at the 4, a healthy Keegan Murray has the primary minutes on lock, and the Kings just added the 6’9” Karim Lopez with the 21st overall pick.
This isn’t a glitzy enough logjam for Sacramento to sell low. Especially with three team-controlled years remaining on Cardwell’s deal. But New York loaded up on enough second-rounders during the draft to cobble together a reasonable offer.
Whether the Kings say yes is debatable. The Knicks’ incentive to try trading for Cardwell is not.
Add us as a preferred source on Google