Maxime Raynaud Out With Knee Injury, Targets Nov. 2 Return
Kings center Maxime Raynaud is out with a right knee injury suffered during the preseason, with an estimated return date of November 2, 2026. He is expected to miss at least the first five or six games of the 2026-27 season, a blow for a Sacramento frontcourt counting on the 7-1 big man after his rookie year.
By the Kings Nightly Desk · updated 4 d ago01The story of the nightThe injuryRaynaud is out with a right knee injury, and the Kings list his estimated return as November 2, 2026.
Raynaud is out with a right knee injury, and the Kings list his estimated return as November 2, 2026. Frankie Cartoscelli of KHTK Sactown Sports 1140 reports that Raynaud is expected to miss at least the first five or six games of the regular season, and potentially longer. The injury history shows the issue first appeared on October 11, 2026, when Raynaud was listed day-to-day with a knee and leg injury before being upgraded to out the same day. A report from Anthony Slater on October 11 described Raynaud leaving the court in a wheelchair after the knee injury, a visual that underscored how serious the setback looked in the moment.
02What happened before the injuryRaynaud was playing through the preseason schedule in the days before he went down.
Raynaud was playing through the preseason schedule in the days before he went down. On October 5 he played 24.4 minutes against the Lakers in a loss, finishing with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. On October 8, also against the Lakers in a loss, he logged 24.0 minutes with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists. On October 10 against Golden State, in a loss, his minutes dropped to 8.8, with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist. By October 16, against San Antonio in a loss, Raynaud did not play at all, logging 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists in 0.0 minutes.
03Last season by the numbersRaynaud played 74 games last season, averaging 26.5 minutes, 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 steals and…
Raynaud played 74 games last season, averaging 26.5 minutes, 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.5 blocks, with 1.3 turnovers per game. He shot 57.1 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from three and 78.6 percent from the free-throw line, with a true shooting mark of 61.9 percent and a usage rate of 17.8 percent. His plus-minus sat at minus-6.2 for the season. Those numbers came while he was with Sacramento, the same team listed as his team last season. Two of his strongest nights came late in the year: 28 points and 9 rebounds against New Orleans on April 3, and 23 points and 9 rebounds against Golden State on April 10.
04Who is Maxime RaynaudRaynaud is a 23-year-old center out of Stanford, listed at 7-1 and 268 pounds.
Raynaud is a 23-year-old center out of Stanford, listed at 7-1 and 268 pounds. He wears number 42 for Sacramento and enters this season with one year of NBA experience under his belt. At his size, he profiles as a rim-area presence, and his 57.1 percent shooting from the field last season reflects efficient work inside. The 32.4 percent clip from three and 78.6 percent from the foul line last season also point to a big man who can step outside the paint. His usage rate of 17.8 percent last season suggests a steady, if not primary, role in Sacramento's offense.
05What's next for the Kings' center spotWith Raynaud out to start the 2026-27 season, Sacramento opens the year without the center who played 74 games and…
With Raynaud out to start the 2026-27 season, Sacramento opens the year without the center who played 74 games and averaged 7.5 rebounds last season. The estimated return date of November 2, 2026, and the report of missing five or six games at minimum means the Kings will need to navigate at least the first stretch of the schedule without him. The nature of the setback, with Raynaud reportedly leaving the court in a wheelchair on October 11, is the kind of detail that will keep his recovery timeline under watch as the opener approaches.
Raynaud12.5 ppg
Ayton12.5 ppg
