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Welcome to your morning cup of Kings. The final few days of the NBA trade deadline came and went without a peep from the Sacramento Kings. Despite his best efforts, general manager Scott Perry couldn’t find a taker for one or two of the team’s larger contracts, leaving plenty of fans feeling underwhelmed and frustrated.

According to a league source, the closest the Kings came to pushing through a big deal came last week when a trade that would have sent Domantas Sabonis to the Toronto Raptors fell through as the two teams battled over player and draft compensation.

There were rumors of a potential Ja Morant trade as well, but again the team never got close to the finish line according to a source.

Part of the Kings’ issues came down to their refusal to include high level draft compensation in trades to move off of contracts. With the team sitting at 12-40 on the season, that was probably a wise decision for the Kings.

Be it a potential Sabonis trade or revisiting Morant’s situation, the Kings have left the door open once the season comes to a conclusion. The team will have a better idea of their needs at that point, especially after the NBA Draft lottery where they currently sit tied for the highest odds of landing the top overall pick in a stellar 2026 draft class.

This wasn’t the deadline that anyone in Sacramento was hoping for, but the team is not in a position currently to throw in draft capital or take on long term bloated contracts. As we approach the summer, contracts like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan may raise in value as they convert to expiring deals.

LaVine is owed $49 million next season on a player option and only $10 million of DeRozan’s $25.7 million is guaranteed. Whether Perry can turn either of these players into assets remains a mystery, but he has set the summer of 2027 as the year where the Kings will finally be in a stronger position with regards to the salary cap.

Here is the latest Locked On Kings Podcast from Wednesday night where I discuss more on the trade deadline and the potential for moves this summer for the Kings:

The Sacramento Kings have become a place that undrafted and two-way players can make it to the NBA and land real contracts with the parent team. That dream came true for rookie Dylan Cardwell on Thursday.

Sacramento came out of the trade deadline with two open roster spots after the 3-for-1 trade that sent Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dario Saric to the Bulls in exchange for De’Andre Hunter. One of those contract spots was instantly earmarked for Cardwell once the team navigated the trade deadline window.

According to a league source, Cardwell landed a four-year contract with the Kings. He received an instant pay bump to $871,000 for the remainder of this season, has a guaranteed second season at $2.15 million and then two non-guaranteed years at $2.53 million and $2.74 million with the fourth season being a team option.

The 24-year-old is one of the better stories in the NBA this season. After five pedestrian years at Auburn, including a final season where he averaged just 5.0 points and 5.1 rebounds, the 6-foot-10, 255 pound center has earned his way into the Kings’ rotation.

Cardwell is a dirty work player who brings energy and physicality, especially on the defensive end. In 25 games this season, including one start, Cardwell is averaging 4.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in just 20 minutes per game. Per 36 minutes, the defensive-minded big is averaging 12.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks.

In 166 games at the NCAA level, Cardwell posted a total of four games with 10 rebounds or more. He’s already accomplished that feat six times at the pro level through 25 games. He is quickly becoming a fan favorite, but also a crucial role player for the Kings, despite the team’s overall lack of success.

Cardwell spoke to the media following Wednesday’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Here’s a video of that exchange before the extension was signed sealed and delivered.