Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud suffered a right knee injury during Saturday's preseason matchup against the Golden State Warriors, leaving the court in a wheelchair. The team awaits further medical evaluations to determine the severity of the setback.
Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud suffered a concerning right knee injury during Saturday night's preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. The second-year big man was forced to leave the court in a wheelchair after suffering the injury in the second quarter, according to ESPN's Marc J. Spears.
The incident occurred when Raynaud set a screen for rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and collided with Golden State guard Stephen Curry. Raynaud immediately fell to the floor, grabbing at his right knee, and was examined by medical staff before being wheeled into the locker room. Kings general manager Scott Perry escorted the 7-foot-1 center off the court, while owner Vivek Ranadive later visited Raynaud to check on his condition.
Raynaud had been playing well before the injury, finishing with 10 points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field, along with six rebounds, one assist, and one block in nine minutes of action. According to USA TODAY, he exited the game with 2:32 remaining in the first half, with the Kings trailing 61-56 at the break.
The injury is a significant setback for the 22-year-old, who made a strong impression during his rookie campaign. Last season, Raynaud averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 57.1% from the field, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team. He was selected by Sacramento with the 42nd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Stanford.
The Kings had been counting on Raynaud to play a meaningful role in their frontcourt rotation, potentially starting alongside Domantas Sabonis or serving as his primary backup. With no confirmed diagnosis or recovery timeline available, the team will require further medical evaluations to assess the severity of the injury. If Raynaud misses time, players such as Dylan Cardwell and Precious Achiuwa may see increased opportunities at center.