October 11, 2026 at 5:34 PM UTC
NewsKings Lose Center Maxime Raynaud to Apparent Serious Right Knee Injury in Preseason Game at Warriors
Sacramento's second-year center was wheeled off at Chase Center on Saturday night, and team sources fear he could be out for the foreseeable future. Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. also limped to the bench in a 111-106 loss.
The Sacramento Kings lost second-year center Maxime Raynaud to what appeared to be a serious right knee injury late in the first half of their preseason game at the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, Oct. 10, at Chase Center in San Francisco. The Kings lost 111-106 and are 0-3 in the preseason. Their bigger concern is Raynaud, whose diagnosis and timeline have not been announced, with the regular season scheduled to open Oct. 20.
The injury came with 2:32 left in the second quarter. Raynaud was setting an on-ball screen for rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. with Stephen Curry defending nearby. Bodies collided, and Raynaud took contact to the outside of his right knee. He yelled in pain, grabbed at the knee and fell hard to the floor. According to The Associated Press, Curry also went down after the collision.
The scene made the severity clear. Coach Doug Christie called a timeout and walked to center court to check on Raynaud, who had his hands over his face. Athletic trainers and EMTs brought out a wheelchair, and Raynaud was helped into it and taken to the locker room. He waved to the crowd before going into the tunnel. General manager Scott Perry escorted him off the court.
Raynaud underwent tests at Chase Center during halftime, and the Kings officially ruled him out with a right knee injury early in the third quarter. ESPN reported that Perry and owner Vivek Ranadive visited him outside the visitors' locker room, where Ranadive hugged him. Team sources told ESPN there was a growing fear that Sacramento has lost the young center for the foreseeable future. The team had not issued an official update.
Raynaud later left the arena on crutches, with an ice bag and a heavy wrap on the knee. The AP described him as in good spirits and smiling. He offered no prognosis. "I don't even know, I'm going to get an MRI right now," he said on his way out.
Until the injury, Raynaud had been efficient. He made all three of his field-goal attempts, including a 3-pointer, and three free throws for 10 points in just under nine minutes. The Kings trailed 61-56 at halftime.
Ben Simmons, who made his Kings preseason debut Saturday and played for the first time in more than a year after missing last season with a chronic back injury and other health issues, spoke about the moment. "That's my teammate. For a guy to go down it sucks," he said, adding that he knows the feeling of being injured.
Acuff, the rookie guard from Arkansas, was also a concern. ESPN's Marc Spears reported during the game that Acuff was limping and went to the bench. Yahoo Sports, citing ClutchPoints, reported that he had 16 points, five assists and three 3-pointers in the first half. His final line was 25 points, eight assists and four rebounds on 8-of-15 shooting in 27 minutes. The available reports did not say what caused the limp or whether it is a lasting problem.
Raynaud's potential absence matters for several reasons.
The first is his role. A 7-foot-1, 250-pound Stanford product, he was the 42nd pick in the 2025 draft. He averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on 57.1% shooting as a rookie and made the NBA's all-rookie second team. Those numbers are significant production from a second-round pick, and Sacramento was presumably counting on him to build on them.
The second is the frontcourt. The reports do not outline the Kings' depth chart, so how Christie reshuffles his big-man minutes is unclear. If Raynaud is out long term, that decision will be one of the team's first major tests of the season. It also comes while Simmons is only just returning to game action.
The third is defense, which Christie has said should be the team's calling card this season. Sacramento gave up more than 100 points to the Warriors in a game that was close late. One preseason game proves little, but the Kings now need to build that identity without a young rotation big man who appeared to be part of their plans.
The offense did show some promise. Acuff looked like a capable playmaker, and Yahoo reported that Zach LaVine and Raynaud were the only other Kings players in double figures as the game went on. Simmons added seven points as the game ended. That balance would be harder to maintain if both Raynaud and Acuff miss time.
The MRI results should clarify Raynaud's situation. Until the team provides a diagnosis, the injury's severity is unconfirmed, and the fear voiced by team sources is a concern rather than a medical finding. The Kings' frontcourt plans for the Oct. 20 opener now depend on that update.
Sources
- ESPN Kings lose Maxime Raynaud to apparent serious knee injury
- Yahoo Sports Kings’ Darius Acuff limps off court vs. Warriors
- Yahoo Sports Kings center Maxime Raynaud taken off court in wheelchair after going down with right knee injury
- Yahoo Sports Maxime Raynaud injury update: Kings center taken off court on wheelchair