The Sacramento Kings lost second-year center Maxime Raynaud after 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.
Raynaud was setting a screen for rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. with Golden State's Stephen Curry in the vicinity defending it. As bodies collided, Raynaud took contact to the outside of his right knee, immediately yelling in pain and crumpling to the floor.
The seriousness of the situation became obvious quickly. Sacramento coach Doug Christie called timeout and walked out to the middle of the floor to check on Raynaud, who had his hands over his face. As teammates descended, team trainers called over the EMT with a wheelchair to help Raynaud to the locker room.
Raynaud spent halftime getting tests on the injury in Chase Center. The team officially ruled him out with a right knee injury early in the third quarter.
At that time, a dispirited Raynaud was wheeled from the X-ray room back to the area outside the visitors locker room. While there, Kings general manager Scott Perry and team owner Vivek Ranadive visited him. Ranadive gave Raynaud a hug, and team sources confirmed that there was a growing fear they've lost their young center for the foreseeable future.
The team did not have an official updated on Raynaud's injury after the game. He is expected to undergo an MRI late Saturday night.
Raynaud made the All-Rookie second team last season after averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 74 games, proving to be a significant draft night find with the 42nd pick.
He was expected to play a key frontcourt role behind starting center Domantas Sabonis to open the season.