Maxime Raynaud is a Building Block for the Sacramento Kings' Future

The Kings may be in the basement of the NBA, but Raynaud will be a major contributor to their way out.

Jan 20, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) is greeted by teammates during player introductions before the game against the Miami Heat at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

With just nine games left in the Kings' season, it's safe to say that Maxime Raynaud is the steal of the 2025 NBA Draft. Even though Sacramento is in the basement of the league, early returns suggest that the second-round pick is a major cog in its way to the top.

This year has been all about development for the Kings. Clearly, the experiment of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis failed, so it's time to start over. Sacramento has nine first-round picks from 2026 to 2032, but the youth already on the roster is providing a stepping stone into a new era. Raynaud is leading that charge right now.

Draft Digest had Raynaud projected to go within the top 25 in nearly four weeks before the draft. Right now, he's seventh among rookies in scoring (total points), second in rebounds and ninth in blocks.

Across his 65 games played, the French big man is averaging 11.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 25.8 minutes per game on 57-29-79 shooting splits. For a first-year NBA player, that's impressive considering head coach Doug Christie has leaned on him to be the primary center with Sabonis out.

But March has been his Raynaud's shining month. Across 12 games, he's put up 18.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists a night while posting 61-40-82 shooting splits. It's a big reason why the Kings have garnered five of their 19 wins in a 15-day stretch.

Sacramento is hunting for a generational prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft, but Raynaud has displayed the potential to lead this team into the future. His perimeter shooting hasn't been quite up to par, but again, it's only year one for the seven-footer. Most of the other aspects of his game have been extremely impressive as of late.

If the Kings can pair Raynaud and the rest of the young core with a star like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer or any of the other high-end prospects in June, they'll be in great shape moving forward. The real task is moving on from the veterans crowding their roster.

Sacramento will continue the end of its regular season on Thursday against the Orlando Magic, followed by three more road games. While the immediate goal is to lose in order to get the highest odds possible at the No. 1 overall selection, keep an eye on Raynaud's development in the final stretch.