How 2026 Offseason Will Shape a Critical Year for Maxime Raynaud

It’s not every day that the 42nd pick in the draft becomes a main part of a team’s future. Most of the time, second-round picks are players struggling to make rosters and find time on the court, but not Maxime Raynaud.

The Kings signed him to a full-time contract last season, and an injury to Domantas Sabonis thrust him into a starting role partway through the season. This summer brought a ton of changes for Max, and he looks primed to take a pivotal sophomore season in Sacramento head-on.

Maxime Raynaud on gaining 20 pounds during the offseason and whether Alex Karaban gets recognized at the farmers market: pic.twitter.com/V4LHvA59IP
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) September 28, 2026

Putting in the Work

Raynaud has always been a large human being, but he came in with some concerns about his strength and conditioning. There were times last season when he was outmatched by stronger bigs, and even more moments when it was clear he wasn’t moving as well as he could be.

It often takes a while for rookies to get accustomed to the speed of the game, and that goes double for seven-footers like Max. He started to show some of the work he put in at the end of last season, but now Raynaud says he’s gained over 20 pounds of muscle and is better equipped to handle both the physicality and endurance that the NBA demands.

“I finished the season around 240-245 and I’m like 265 now so that was really good… obviously spending more time in the weight room… being able to take better care of what I eat,” Raynaud said at media day.

That answer came after Raynaud joked with Kings’ Insider James Ham about looking “chubby,” which is extra funny after seeing what Max looks like now. He mentioned improving his diet, spending more time in the weight room, and adding supplements to help bulk up and be better prepared for the season, but in the end it all comes down to the hard work he’s willing to put in.

It’s even more impressive that he was able to put on so much weight while still playing competitive basketball and practicing with the French National Team.

“Played a couple games with the national team, but it was still very limited compared to the NBA season,” he said.

Even though it wasn’t an 82-game season, having to play games and be in game shape does make it more challenging to put on and keep weight on for NBA players. For Raynaud, adding extra strength and weight will help him become a better rebounder and defender, two areas of focus for the Stanford product.

Another facet of his game where extra weight will help is screen setting, and he showed a bit of how improved craft and more physicality can make an impact with the French Team this summer.

Maxime Raynuad | Short Roll Scoring

Loved these clips of Raynaud not only because they showcase the value of the touch shot, especially for a big who isn’t as highly touted as an above-the-rim threat but can still be effective at creating rim pressure, but also because they… https://t.co/c1bJBtJLDF pic.twitter.com/OE4JVI3NSr
— Caden Hoffman (@coachcadenhoff) September 15, 2026

Two Towers

In multiple interviews during media day, Raynaud alluded to playing with Domantas Sabonis this season rather than solely as his backup. Both bigs are incredibly talented players, but there are some worries about how they would fit together as two non-shooters who struggle to protect the rim and defend on the perimeter.

Max had a chance to play with other bigs this summer, Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama, but both provide a level of rim protection that he and Domas cannot come close to.

“If I’m able to make my corner threes at a high clip, naturally that will help to spread the floor with me playing the four.”

As Max points out in the quote above, being able to knock down open threes would be a huge development in terms of his ability to play the four with another big on the court. Raynaud did shoot 43% from the left corner, but it was on very low volume, and he shot just 9% from the right corner. There’s some belief that he can be a respectable shooter, but even then, there remain some issues with pairing him with Sabonis.

Maxime Raynaud showed out in his first two games for France:

10 PTS & 4 REB vs 🇧🇪
16 PTS & 7 REB vs 🇫🇮#FIBAWC x @SacramentoKings pic.twitter.com/roIOGjinaX
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) July 6, 2026

With Raynaud’s added weight, it will be interesting to see how he handles defending on the perimeter in lineups where he’s playing the four. He hinted at being in better condition along with the added muscle, but none of that matters until he actually steps on the court. With Sabonis coming off a knee injury and not being known as a quick-footed defender, it will be up to Raynaud to make that pairing work with both his shooting and mobility.

In it for the Long Haul?

You’ve likely heard that the Kings are interested in a certain All-NBA center, and although they haven't been able to get a deal done yet, the possibility of change on the front line looms large. Sabonis is sticking around for now, but there’s an expectation that he won’t outlast his current contract.

The idea of bringing in a 22-year old star center is enticing, and likely a bit concerning for the Kings’ current rotation. This season will be a great chance for Max to show that he’s improved on the deficiencies in his game and that he and Dylan Cardwell are enough to hold down the five-spot as Sacramento continues its rebuild.

Follow us on Facebook and X for the latest Sacramento Kings news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google