yardbarker
The NBA preseason has already delivered a devastating blow to the Philadelphia 76ers, as backup center Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn right Achilles tendon that will end his season. But another distressing moment unfolded in San Francisco during the matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings.
Maxime Raynaud crumpled to the floor clutching his knee and ultimately required a wheelchair to exit the court. The incident has sparked worry about Sacramento's young center just days before the regular season begins.
The play occurred with 2:32 left in the first half at Chase Center. Raynaud was setting a screen during a sequence involving Stephen Curry when contact occurred around his right leg. The Kings' second-year big man immediately went down in pain, prompting head coach Doug Christie to call a timeout and step onto the floor to check on him.
Raynaud found himself caught between Curry and his Kings teammate Darius Acuff Jr. as the play developed. Acuff moved behind Raynaud while trying to dribble away, and Max absorbed the brunt of the contact. It appeared that even Curry's knee grazed him. The Frenchman covered his face as teammates surrounded him, while trainers called for emergency medical assistance and a wheelchair.
The exact cause remains difficult to determine from the sequence. It is unclear whether the contact from Curry or Acuff Jr. contributed to the injury. Another possibility is that Raynaud's knee buckled as he planted his foot.
Raynaud was slowly taken toward the locker room, but not before waving to the San Francisco crowd as he entered the tunnel. Sacramento officially listed the issue as a right knee injury and ruled him out for the remainder of the game, as reported by Kings reporter Sean Cunningham.
The injury was particularly cruel given how well Raynaud had been playing. He left with 10 points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting, five rebounds, one assist and a block in just nine minutes. It was shaping up to be his strongest preseason performance before the injury abruptly ended his night.
The 42nd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft had already made a strong impression during his rookie season, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team. The French center also added approximately 20 to 25 pounds of muscle during the offseason, hoping to strengthen his frame for the demands of the NBA.
Raynaud underwent testing during halftime at Chase Center. Early in the third quarter, Sacramento confirmed he would not return. He was later seen being carefully transferred from a wheelchair to crutches outside the visiting locker room and could not put weight on his injured leg.
Kings general manager Scott Perry and owner Vivek Ranadive visited the center. Ranadive embraced him as concern grew within the organization that Sacramento might have lost the young big man for an extended period.
Originally reported by yardbarker.