Dylan Cardwell Downgraded to Doubtful as Kings' Frontcourt Woes Continue

The Sacramento Kings are going to have to wait a little longer to get their frontcourt enforcer back on the floor. According to Underdog NBA, center Dylan Cardwell has been downgraded to doubtful for Monday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks with a lingering left calf strain.

Cardwell originally tweaked the calf way back on October 8 during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Waiting for a calf strain to heal in the NBA is basically like waiting for a contractor to finish your kitchen. Every time you ask for an update, they just add another week to the timeline and tell you to be patient.

"Underdog NBA reported that Cardwell was downgraded to doubtful for Monday."

The 24-year-old big man has not logged a single minute in the regular season yet. That is a tough break for a guy who was supposed to be a major piece of the Sacramento rotation after grinding his way up from a two-way deal to a standard contract last year.

When he actually gets on the court, Cardwell is a legitimate problem in the paint. He averaged 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks over 44 games last season, giving the Kings the kind of high-energy rim protection that completely changes a defensive scheme.

Without him, the Sacramento frontcourt depth chart looks like a scramble drill. The coaching staff has been forced to lean heavily on Precious Achiuwa and Jonathan Mogbo to soak up the interior minutes while they wait for their primary anchor to get healthy.

If you are looking at the board for Monday night, this injury update is a massive variable. Anyone eyeing rebounding props or paint-scoring lines for the Mavericks needs to remember that Dallas will be attacking a Kings rotation that is still missing its best young rim protector.

For now, Cardwell remains in street clothes. If he officially sits on Monday, expect the Kings to keep shuffling their bigs while hoping their defensive anchor can finally get cleared before the end of the month.