Sacramento’s frontcourt has been waiting on Raynaud, and the 7-foot-1 center is now closer to getting back in the mix after a preseason setback slowed his momentum.
That matters for a Kings team that could use every bit of depth it can find up front. Domantas Sabonis’ double-double production and Dylan Cardwell’s rim protection, as the source notes, still leave Sacramento looking for more ways to punish opponents. Raynaud’s added muscle and a cleaner jumper could give the offense another wrinkle once he’s cleared to return.
The French big man’s rise last season came with a major assist from Russell Westbrook, who retired this offseason after an 18-year career. Westbrook’s impact really showed after Sabonis underwent season-ending surgery last February, when Raynaud was pushed from a useful bench option into a starter and frontcourt anchor. Sacramento’s second-round pick suddenly had to handle a much bigger role, and Westbrook helped smooth that transition.
Raynaud said the veteran guard gave him confidence throughout his NBA path and made it clear he belonged. He also learned plenty from Westbrook’s pick-and-roll instincts, especially the way he kept feeding his big man.
That connection paid off in a big way on March 17 against the San Antonio Spurs, when Raynaud exploded for a career-high 32 points. Westbrook assisted 17 of those points, finding him on lob dunks, dump-off finishes at the rim and kick-outs to the corner.
That stretch helped Raynaud put together a standout season. He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month in March and finished on the All-Rookie Second Team. The strong run also carried him to a spot on the French national team before he headed back to Las Vegas and joined the Summer League squad.
The 23-year-old arrived for preseason noticeably bigger, saying he added more than 20 pounds of muscle and worked on his jump shot to speed up his release. His second-half surge last season, along with his Summer League opener and his play in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, had set him up for another promising year.
Instead, an early preseason injury interrupted that path. Raynaud suffered a right patellar subluxation against the Golden State Warriors, and HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported he would be reevaluated in two weeks. After that first window passed, the Kings pushed the timeline back another two weeks.
Even without Westbrook as his pick-and-roll partner, Raynaud should still have a useful fit waiting for him when he returns. Darius Acuff Jr. has been on a historic scoring tear as a rookie, becoming the first player since 1960-61 to reach 200-plus points and 50-plus assists in eight games. Raynaud’s size and stronger core can help create space for the 6-foot-3 guard, and his passing touch has already shown up in the form of dump-off feeds, including a few to Sabonis.
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Kings Finally Get Relief With Surging Spurs Coming To Sacramento
The Kings are still waiting for their early-season roster to get anywhere close to full strength, and the injury pileup has already made life difficult. Ben Simmons, Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell and Keegan Murray have all been among the key names Sacramento has had to navigate without, leaving the team to piece together lineups while trying to stay afloat in the 2026-27 season.
Now comes a chance to reset at home against a Spurs team that arrives on a winning streak and with far fewer health concerns. San Antonio has been one of the steadier groups in the NBA Cup Group Play picture, which only raises the stakes for Sacramento as it looks for a cleaner performance and, just as importantly, a healthier rotation to work with. [Read more 🡒]
Sabonis Gives Kings Fans A Milestone To Watch Amid Trade Buzz
Domantas Sabonis gave Kings fans another reason to keep an eye on the record book in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, pulling down 17 rebounds and moving past Eddie Johnson into ninth place on Sacramentos all-time offensive rebounds list. It has been a career year on the glass for Sabonis, and the pace he is on has him inching toward a far more prominent mark in franchise history.
The timing makes the milestone feel a little more layered, too, with trade buzz continuing to swirl around Sabonis even as no confirmed move has been reported. For a Kings team trying to sort out both its present and its future, his climb up the franchise leaderboard is a reminder of how much production he has already delivered, and how much more history he could still chase if he stays in Sacramento. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Linked Again To A Star Big Man They Once Passed On
Domantas Sabonis is back in the center of trade conversation as Sacramentos rebuild starts to take shape, and that naturally has ripple effects across the league. The Kings are reportedly open to moving the star big man, which is the kind of development that immediately gets attention from teams that have already checked in before and know what kind of impact he can have.
Charlotte is one of the clubs worth watching again after showing interest last season, when talks with the Kings and Raptors never got over the finish line because of contract and draft-pick disagreements. With both teams stumbling this season, the conditions for another round of discussions are there, and Sabonis remains the sort of name that can quickly change the direction of a front office conversation. [Read more 🡒]