Maxime Raynaud Is Turning Heads on the Kings' Coaching Staff

The Sacramento Kings have not made any drastic changes this offseason, holding onto veterans Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine, despite a clear approach of trying to build around their young core. At the center position, especially, many fans are waiting for the franchise to transition from Sabonis to give Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell their deserved opportunities.

Raynaud, 23, is coming off an incredible rookie season, in which he was the only non-lottery pick selected to an All-Rookie Team. The 42nd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft showed that he is capable of being the Kings' next franchise center, but they are still hanging on to Sabonis, who has two years left on his contract.

While the Kings might not be ready to hand Raynaud the keys just yet, he certainly has fans on Sacramento's coaching staff and could even earn a role alongside the three-time All-Star center. An anonymous Kings assistant coach told Spotrac's Keith Smith that they are looking forward to seeing how Raynaud plays alongside Sabonis, while pointing out how much he impressed as a rookie.

"He had such a strong rookie season for us, even though we didn’t expect him to play as much as he did. We think we can probably play him with Domantas Sabonis some too, because of their skills,” the assistant coach told Smith. “Also, did you see him stepping out to shoot it more? We think that’ll be part of his game moving forward.”

Mar 29, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As a rookie, Raynaud attempted just one three-pointer per game, although he showed some flashes of being able to knock down shots from deep. In his only full Summer League appearance this offseason, he finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds on 2-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc, looking much more comfortable in that area.

If Raynaud can continue to improve as a three-point shooter, the idea of playing alongside Sabonis, rather than being his backup, will become even more intriguing.

A Raynaud-Sabonis frontcourt?

As it stands, the Kings are expected to start Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, and Domantas Sabonis in the forward and center spots. However, it would not be shocking if Doug Christie and his staff experimented with a two-big lineup of Raynaud and Sabonis, as the anonymous assistant mentions.

Your Western Conference @Kia Rookie of the Month for March...

Maxime Raynaud of the Sacramento Kings! https://t.co/w33lDfd18J pic.twitter.com/CoTYU6rcFF
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2026

Raynaud is already one of the most talented big men in the NBA with a great feel for the game, an impressive passing touch, good footwork, and mobility, likely reminding the Kings of Sabonis offensively. Granted, a frontcourt of these two could be a wreck defensively, and spacing could be an issue, but the blend of their offensive skill sets would be a joy to watch.

The main reason to play Raynaud next to Sabonis is to increase his workload and minutes. If Raynaud is stuck playing behind Sabonis, the reigning All-Rookie Team member will not get the opportunities he deserves, especially since he would also be splitting time with Dylan Cardwell.

The Kings' coaching staff seems to believe in Raynaud enough to play him alongside Sabonis, and it would be great if we see plenty of those two-big lineups next season.

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

Add us as a preferred source on Google