Will Cardwell Form Strong Pairing With Acuff Jr. In Return?

Center depth is on the way for the Sacramento Kings, as Dylan Cardwell was ruled probable in Monday's win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Sacramento downgraded him to out before the game, but the initial ruling could make way for his regular-season debut against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Cardwell missed over two weeks with a left calf strain he sustained in the preseason.

His return bolsters the team's rim protection and rebounding and gives rookie Darius Acuff Jr. another pick-and-roll partner. He averaged 1.5 blocks and 7.5 rebounds in 44 games last season.

The Kings know what Cardwell provides on defense, but the two-man game between him and Acuff is unexplored.

Brendan Nunes, a writer for Sactown Sports 1140, believes the two can form a strong partnership. He said Acuff's best passes at Arkansas were to lob threats.

Acuff's lobs are similar to how James Harden and Trae Young throw them: passes barely above the rim that the defense can often mistake for a floater.

Cardwell is springy off the bounce. He runs parallel with his playmaker and is always ready for a bounce pass in the short roll for a thunderous finish.

The Acuff-Cardwell pick-and-roll could give the Kings' offense another threat it's lacked this season. Defenders must choose between cutting off the rookie's downhill drive or taking away the lob.

A corner shooter may be open if the defense prioritizes Cardwell in the roll. That opening is key in Acuff's development as a playmaker.

Sacramento would have two pick-and-roll options to lean on throughout the game: Cardwell and Domantas Sabonis.

Sabonis and the 19-year-old have already built strong chemistry, and the preseason opener against the Lakers showed that.

The rookie guard blew past Laker defenders with a quick first step, using Sabonis' screen to create separation for his mid-range jump shots. Their two-man game created instant offense, and Acuff almost always had a wide-open mid-range jumper.

Sacramento is getting reinforcement at the right time after it picked up its first win of the season on Monday. Cardwell's potential return also signals that Raynaud should be close to returning.

Raynaud's reevaluation period should be next week, according to the team's medical updates last Tuesday. His timeline would put him on pace to return in the Kings' three-game slate against the Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers or Oklahoma City Thunder.

Acuff has shocked the NBA with his scoring, and with multiple big men returning, he can elevate his playmaking game.