It’s no secret the Boston Celtics could use more frontcourt depth heading into the 2025-26 NBA season.
Veteran centers Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both able to become unrestricted free agents next month. Star center Kristaps Porzingis is entering the final year of his contract. Xavier Tillman Sr. wasn’t able to make much of an impact in his first full season with the Celtics.
Adding youth, size and outside shooting to this group would be a smart move this offseason. Perhaps the best place to find that talent is the 2025 NBA Draft later this month.
More Celtics Draft Fits:
The Celtics own the No. 28 overall pick in the first round and the second pick (No. 32 overall) in the second round of the upcoming draft.
One player in the 2025 draft class who can add size, 3-point shooting and rebounding to Boston’s frontcourt is Stanford center Maxime Raynaud.
Learn more about Raynaud and his potential fit with the C’s below:
Maxime Raynaud’s bio
- Position: Power forward/Center
- Height: 7-foot-1
- Weight: 250 pounds
- Birthdate: April 7, 2003
- Birthplace: Paris, France
- College: Stanford
Maxime Raynaud’s collegiate stats
- 2024-25: 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 46.7 field goal percentage (35 games)
- 2023-24: 15.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 56.7 field goal percentage (32 games)
- 2022-23: 8.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 54.0 field goal percentage (33 games)
- 2021-22: 4.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 54.1 field goal percentage (29 games)
Maxime Raynaud’s college accolades
- 2025 All-ACC first team
- 2025 ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year
- 2024 All-Pac 12 second team
- 2024 Pac 12 Most Improved Player of the Year
Maxime Raynaud’s highlights
Why Maxime Raynaud fits with Celtics
Raynaud can score. He averaged 15.5 points as a junior and improved to a career-high 20.2 points per game as a senior. One of the reasons for that jump was he shot 34.7 percent on a career-high 5.5 3-point attempts per game.
In fact, his points and rebounds per game improved in each of the last three years. Raynaud isn’t super physical, but he’s a very good rebounder and showed some decent rim protection as a senior with a career-high 1.4 blocks per game.
Our Celtics insider Chris Forsberg likes Raynaud’s outside shooting, but notes there are some concerns about his defense at the next level.
“French 7-footers are all the rage in the NBA, and this one improved in each of his four seasons at Stanford,” Forsberg said, as seen in the video player above. “Offensively, he thrives at attacking closeouts. Can he hit 3-pointers? Oui, oui. Raynaud shot 35 percent from beyond the arc as a senior.
“There are questions about whether he’ll fit defensively at the NBA level, and he’s going to have to improve his foot speed to stay on the court. Still, he could fall in the range the Celtics are scheduled to pick at No. 28 and No. 32.”
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