2025-26 Season
DYLAN CARDWELL
2025-26 Season
DYLAN CARDWELL
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 17 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 93 Centers with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
Dylan Cardwell’s opening stretch of the 2025-26 campaign was defined by a quiet evolution from a clunky liability into an indispensable, dirty-work anchor off the bench. Early on, his offensive limitations dragged down his overall value. This was glaringly obvious on 10/22 vs PHX, when clunky finishing around the basket undermined a passable defensive shift and earned him a bleak -3.6 impact score. He eventually realized that generating tangible advantages did not require shooting the basketball. Look at his performance on 12/20 vs POR, where he managed just four points but posted a +5.3 impact score by serving as an impenetrable brick wall in drop coverage. He took that glue-guy mentality to its absolute peak on 01/21 vs TOR. Despite scoring a mere two points, Cardwell ripped down 13 rebounds and logged a massive +9.6 impact mark simply by dominating the dirty work for the frontcourt. By abandoning forced offense and strictly capitalizing on his relentless activity on the glass, he carved out a highly effective niche.
Dylan Cardwell’s midseason stretch was defined by extreme volatility, swinging wildly between game-changing interior dominance and total offensive invisibility. When fully engaged, he was a wrecking ball in the paint, erupting for 14 points and 14 rebounds on 02/06 vs LAC to generate a massive +15.4 impact score through sheer physicality and a relentless motor. He did not always need to score to swing a game, as seen on 02/09 vs NOP where just six points yielded a +8.8 impact thanks to exceptional defensive positioning and elite rebounding efficiency. However, his extreme limitations on the other end of the floor often dragged his overall value into the red. During the 02/04 vs MEM matchup, he pulled down 11 boards but still posted a -1.1 impact because his complete lack of offensive involvement created severe spacing issues. The floor fell out completely on 01/29 vs PHI. Failing to attempt a single shot in 14 minutes, his absolute offensive invisibility doomed him to a brutal -9.1 impact. Cardwell is a highly effective bruiser when crashing the glass, but his complete lack of a scoring threat makes him a wildly unpredictable rotation piece.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Boom-or-bust player. Cardwell's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~4 points per game.
Reliable shooter — hits 45%+ from the field in 71% of games. You can count on efficient nights more often than not.
Defensive difference-maker. Cardwell consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 5 games. Longest cold streak: 7 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 51 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
44 games played
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