Maxime Raynaud’s rookie season gave the Sacramento Kings something they probably didn’t expect this quickly: a real conversation about his place in the rotation.
A year ago, he arrived as a second-round pick with modest expectations. Now, after earning NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors, he’s no longer just a development project tucked away at the end of the bench. Sacramento got a longer look at him late in the season, especially when Domantas Sabonis was sidelined by injury, and that stretch changed the discussion around the young center.
The question now is simple, but not easy: how much of a role should Raynaud have in year two?
Sabonis is still the likeliest starter at center, and Dylan Cardwell brings a different look as a reserve with defensive value. Raynaud, though, is the more polished offensive option. The catch is that his minutes may be harder to come by now that Sabonis is healthy and the rotation picture is tighter.
“The fact that it’s even a conversation is a tremendous win for Max to begin with,” Matt George said on The Matt & Kayla Show.
For Raynaud, the path forward looks pretty clear. The traits that made him interesting at Stanford still matter, but they need to show up more often.
His perimeter shooting was part of the appeal coming out of college, yet it barely surfaced in his first NBA season. The seven-footer hit 32.4 percent from three, but he only attempted one per game, going 24-for-74.
That number has to climb if he wants to stretch defenses and force Sacramento to take him seriously as more than a situational big. Defense matters too. He doesn’t have to become a full-time shot blocker, but if he can become a steadier rim deterrent, it becomes much easier for the Kings to trust him in bigger spots.
“If Max can improve his three-point shooting to a respectable clip, and especially if he can start to just change shots at the rim,” George said.
Raynaud also spent a chunk of the offseason around the French national team, working with Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama. That kind of environment could matter as he tries to sharpen the parts of his game that will determine whether he becomes more than a useful piece.
There’s also the issue of opportunity. His best stretches last season came when Sacramento had to lean on him, and he built real pick-and-roll chemistry with Russell Westbrook. That setup is gone now, with Westbrook retired and Sabonis back in place, so the looks, the rhythm and the minutes could all shift.
Even so, there wasn’t much in Raynaud’s rookie production that screamed fluke.
“Max just scored in his role and did so effectively on a bad team,” George said.
So this season isn’t really about whether last year counted. It’s about how much higher Raynaud can climb from here.
If the shot comes around, the defense steadies and the pick-and-roll production keeps rolling, Sacramento may eventually run into a good problem: too many capable players and not enough center minutes to go around.
Sacramento Kings Schedule: 2026-27 Preseason
Monday, October 5th vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7 P.M. PST)
Thursday, October 8th @ Los Angeles Lakers (7:30 P.M. PST)
Saturday, October 10th @ Golden State Warriors (5:30 P.M. PST)
Tuesday, October 13th vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PST)
In Other News...
Kings Rebuild May Hinge On These Young Core Pieces
With Sacramento looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, the organizations rebuild is starting to take shape around a young group it believes can grow into something more than just depth. Dylan Cardwell, Maxime Raynaud, Emanuel Sharp, Alex Karaban and Jonathan Mogbo are all part of that long-view plan, a collection of players the Kings are counting on to develop into real pieces as the roster continues to shift.
The challenge, of course, is turning potential into a foundation. A rebuild only works if the right prospects keep progressing while the front office sorts through the rest of the roster, and Sacramento appears prepared to let that process play out. The early signs are encouraging enough to make these names worth watching, even if the bigger picture still depends on how much each of them can expand their role over time. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Still Have One Big Problem To Sort Out Before Opening Night
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For a team trying to get back on track, the issue is bigger than just paperwork. Sacramento is clearly balancing immediate expectations with player development, and there is a real chance the roster looks different as the season moves along. Even the coaching setup could end up part of that churn, which means the Kings are heading into 2026-27 with more questions than a contender usually wants this late in the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Sabonis Faces A Pressure Point That Could Shape Sacramentos Season
Domantas Sabonis is heading into his sixth season with the Kings carrying a very specific kind of pressure, the kind that comes with being both central to a teams present and part of its future uncertainty. Sacramento is expected to bring him back, and the organization seems intent on letting the market come to him rather than moving him before his value has a chance to rise.
For Sabonis, the season is about more than just steady production. He wants to sharpen parts of his game, especially his three-point shooting and passing, to make himself more appealing to contenders if his name comes up later. The Kings, meanwhile, are also trying to invest in their future by developing No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr., which makes Sabonis path all the more interesting as Sacramento tries to balance immediate credibility with long-term planning. [Read more 🡒]