The Sacramento Kings have gotten fairly positive news about the right knee injury suffered by center Maxime Raynaud, as imaging showed a patellar subluxation instead of a more severe issue that could have put his season in danger before it even started. On Sunday, the team said the second-year big man will be looked at again in roughly two weeks.
Raynaud picked up the injury during Sacramento’s 111-106 preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors. The 7-foot-1 center went down with 2:32 left in the second quarter after making contact with Stephen Curry while setting a screen on the Warriors star.
Maxime Raynaud’s knee injury and recovery timeline
Raynaud had an MRI late Saturday to determine the extent of the damage to his right knee. The results revealed a patellar subluxation, which brought some comfort after the alarming play. The Kings will keep tracking his condition before checking on him again in about two weeks.
The center remained on his back in obvious pain while medical personnel attended to him on the floor at Chase Center. He was eventually assisted to his feet and moved into a wheelchair to leave the court and head back to the locker room.
Even though the injury cut into Raynaud’s preseason, the first imaging results were more reassuring than the chance of a more serious problem that could have threatened the beginning of his season. His next evaluation will give a better sense of how his recovery is going.
Sacramento Kings receive encouraging injury update
Kings head coach Doug Christie recognized how emotionally hard injuries can be, stressing the strong bonds within the team. After the game, he said the organization cares about Raynaud beyond the normal player-coach relationship, adding that the team would stand behind him through the setback.
General manager Scott Perry also voiced confidence that the center would return, saying, “He’ll be back.” Perry walked Raynaud off the court after the injury, while team owner Vivek Ranadive checked on him outside the locker room.
For Sacramento, the short-term priority is Raynaud’s recovery and the planned reevaluation in about two weeks. The imaging results have brought some relief, but the team will need to assess his progress before deciding what comes next.