It's too early to say the Indiana Pacers made a mistake landing Kam Jones with the 38th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. But at the very least, they probably at least slightly regret not drafting Maxime Raynaud, who is breaking out with the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings drafted the French native with the 42nd pick in the draft, and he's been playing incredible basketball recently.
In the month of December, Raynaud has averaged 15.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 57.3% from the field and 45.5% from deep. There isn't a lot going well for the Kings, who are 8-24 and own the second-worst record in the West. But at the very least, they have an intriguing player in Raynaud, who could have been a great fit in Indiana.
Maxime Raynaud would have been solid for the Pacers
One of the biggest problems with the Pacers' latest draft is that they didn't land a big man, even though Myles Turner was an impending free agent (and ultimately left to join the Milwaukee Bucks). Instead, they got two guards in Jones and Taelon Peter. While they can each be real assets for the long run, drafting Raynaud could have addressed some of the Pacers' problems.
Raynaud is a very versatile big man who can also play power forward. Additionally, he is very skilled offensively as someone who can stretch the floor and score in the post. He is also a solid screen-setter and can rebound. Plus, Raynaud has tremendous size at 7-foot-1.
The 22-year-old does have some limitations. His age lowers his ceiling a bit, and he is not much of a presence defensively. He is not physical, and he is not much of a rim protector in spite of his height.
Regardless, Raynaud is a very skilled big man who is making the most of his opportunities in Sacramento. He has started each of his last 10 games and is looking like he can be a legitimate contributor for the team.
The Pacers also got a first-hand look at Raynaud and what he brings to the table during their Dec. 8 victory against the Kings. In the game, the big man recorded 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting, eight rebounds, and three assists in 23 minutes.
Raynaud may not have been this player for the Pacers, but there is no denying that he still could've been a real help as the team is still on the hunt for their starting center of the future.