The French 7-footer enters his sophomore campaign at 265 pounds, aiming to dominate the paint and anchor Sacramento’s frontcourt after a summer spent refining his jumper and frame.
Maxime Raynaud is entering his second season much stronger and bigger, adding 20-plus pounds of muscle to his 7-foot-1 frame this offseason.
Raynaud said he’s “like 265 right now,” 25 pounds heavier than last season. Ernest DeLosAngeles, the Sacramento Kings’ head strength and conditioning coach, helped him grow quickly over several months.
The second-year center said he spent more time in the weight room with DeLosAngeles and learned to take better care of his body: watching what he eats and taking supplements.
Bulking up could mean Raynaud has a much more profound presence in the paint next season. He has a stronger base to absorb contact against other big men, box them out for an offensive rebound or open space with a Gortat screen.
Sacramento will face tough front courts like the Utah Jazz (Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen), Los Angeles Lakers (Walker Kessler) and Denver Nuggets (Nikola Jokić). Raynaud could have an easier time guarding those bigs than he did last season.
He tested some of his newfound muscle in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, playing for the French national team. The 7-foot-1 Frenchmen posted efficient showings, scoring 12 points against Slovenia and 13 points against Miami Heat forward Pelle Larsson and Sweden in August.
Raynaud focused on improving his shooting form to become a reliable three-point threat. He said he tried to make his form more compact for a quicker release.
Sacramento has a deep center rotation featuring Domantas Sabonis, Dylan Cardwell and Raynaud. Sabonis said he was excited to run double-big lineups in his April exit interview, but season-ending surgery in February prevented that.
Floor spacing is a must in double-big lineups, and neither Sabonis nor Raynaud shoot threes at a high volume, which makes their pairing redundant.
Raynaud shot one three-pointer per game last season, and if that increases next season, the Kings can find a perfect offensive balance. A Sabonis-Raynaud pairing doubles down on offensive firepower and generating extra possessions on the boards, while a Raynaud-Cardwell duo balances offense and defense.
It’s an encouraging sign to see significant improvement heading into Year 2. He’s building on a late-season explosion that earned him Western Conference Rookie of the Month in March and All-Rookie Second Team honors at the end of the season.
The 23-year-old is slowly becoming an anchor for Sacramento’s young core. He's helping the franchise climb out of the NBA’s basement during its rebuild era.
