Maxime Raynaud injury headlines Pacific Division roundup

Serious concern in Sacramento after Raynaud’s knee injury

There’s real concern around the Sacramento Kings after center Maxime Raynaud suffered what may be a serious right knee injury. According to Hoops Rumors, citing ESPN, Raynaud went down in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Golden State Warriors while setting a screen to free up Darius Acuff Jr. on a play that also involved Stephen Curry late in the second quarter. He had to be taken off the floor in a wheelchair, a troubling scene for a Kings team that has yet to find traction early on at 0-3 in the Pacific Division standings.

No further official update on the exact diagnosis or timetable was included in the available reports, but the way Raynaud exited the floor raises obvious questions about Sacramento’s frontcourt depth if he is sidelined for an extended period.

Warriors lock in Podziemski while keeping future flexibility

In Golden State, the Warriors moved to secure part of their backcourt of the future. As reported by Hoops Rumors, guard Brandin Podziemski has agreed to a five-year, $110 million rookie-scale extension that is fully guaranteed. The deal includes a mutual option for the fifth season and a trade kicker. CBS Sports notes that the new contract is structured so that it uses only about $2 million of the cap space the Warriors created for next summer, helping them stay flexible as they try to build one more contender around Stephen Curry.

The Warriors sit at 2-2 in the Pacific Division, squarely in the middle of the pack, but Podziemski’s extension at least brings clarity to one key roster piece going forward.

Clippers fall in Toronto; quiet day for Lakers, Suns and Kings

The LA Clippers were the only Pacific Division team in action on the scoreboard, losing 114-106 on the road against the Toronto Raptors. The result moves the Clippers to 1-1 in the Pacific Division. No additional details about individual performances were provided in the headlines.

The rest of the division enjoyed a quiet day. The Los Angeles Lakers (2-1), Phoenix Suns (1-2) and Sacramento Kings (0-3) were all idle, as league attention centered on Raynaud’s injury situation in Sacramento and the Warriors’ long-term commitment to Podziemski while they manage their cap around Curry.