The Sacramento Kings have reshaped several layers of their basketball operations staff, mixing in a veteran coaching presence, internal promotions and a few new hires across development, video and analytics.
Brendan Suhr is the biggest addition on the coaching side. He arrives as an assistant coach with more than 40 years of experience in the NBA and college game, and his resume stretches from the Detroit Pistons’ back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990 to stops with the Atlanta Hawks, New Jersey Nets, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic and New York Knicks.
Suhr’s college background is just as deep. He has coached at Detroit Mercy, Fairfield, UCF, LSU and Stetson, and he was part of the staff for the gold medal-winning 1992 U.S. men’s Olympic team, the “Dream Team.”
Sacramento also elevated DJ Ham, who moves up to assistant coach after one season as the team’s head of player development. Before joining the Kings, Ham worked as a video assistant/player development coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2024-25 and as an assistant coach/director of player development for the G League’s Cleveland Charge.
Joe Ajike is the new head of player development. He spent the 2025-26 season in that role with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the G League affiliate of the Houston Rockets. Ajike also spent four seasons with the Washington Wizards and most recently worked as player development manager from 2023-25.
Jason Maxiell has been promoted to player development coach as he enters his second season with Sacramento. He was an assistant coach with the G League Stockton Kings in 2025-26, and his NBA playing career ran from 2005-15 with the Pistons, Magic and Charlotte Hornets.
The Kings are also adding to the video department. Wyatt Lohaus comes in as an assistant video coordinator after spending the 2025-26 season as a fellow with the Mississippi State men’s basketball program. He previously coached at the 212 Basketball Academy in Iowa during the 2024-25 season after playing professional basketball overseas for two years.
Drake LaMont is joining Sacramento in the same role. He spent two seasons with the Wizards as a coaching associate/assistant video coordinator and also worked with the Dallas Mavericks as a player development intern.
Along with those moves, the Kings promoted Daniel Hixon to manager of scouting, Julius Lewis to assistant director of team security and Nicolas Liagridonis to basketball data scientist/G League personnel coordinator. The organization also hired Kathy Evans as director of basketball data science, Imhotep “Tap” George as a coaching associate and Brandon Lewis as senior basketball software engineer.
In Other News...
Devin Carters Next Chance May Depend On One Concern Miami Cant Ignore
Devin Carters next stop could end up being shaped as much by Miamis roster math as by his potential. The 2024 first-round pick, whose father Anthony Carter once played for the Heat, is suddenly available again after being waived by Atlanta, and he brings the kind of two-way upside teams tend to circle this time of year. He has flashed scoring touch and defensive energy, which helps explain why the Heat remain a natural fit with their open roster space and cap flexibility.
Still, Miamis interest may come with a familiar caveat for a player trying to restart his momentum. Carter has had trouble staying healthy and finding steady minutes, and Heat insider Ira Winderman noted the team could choose to keep its powder dry rather than move quickly. For a club that likes to weigh fit carefully, the question is not just whether Carter belongs in the mix, but whether Miami wants to use one of its chances now or wait for a different name to surface on the buyout market. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Will Want To See What Boston Sees In Devin Carter
Devin Carter is getting another shot, this time with the Boston Celtics after the Hawks waived him and opened the door for him to land with a new team. The former first-round pick will head into training camp competing for a roster spot or a two-way deal, which gives him a fresh path after a brief stint with Sacramento last season.
For Kings fans, the intrigue is obvious because Carter showed enough in his time in Sacramento to keep his name in the mix elsewhere. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 18.4 minutes over 38 games, and now Boston gets the chance to see whether there is still more to unlock in a player Sacramento already had a look at. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Could Face A Midseason Draymond Decision Fans Dread
The Warriors are already weighing how far they want to push this roster as they chase another Finals run with Stephen Curry, and that makes Draymond Greens one-year deal worth watching all season. If Golden State stays in win-now mode, the veteran core remains central to everything they do. But if the season turns and the front office starts thinking differently, Green becomes one of the most consequential names on the board.
For Sacramento, Ben Simmons one-year contract adds another layer to the same landscape. The Kings do not need the drama of a Western Conference rival recalibrating in real time, but Simmons could eventually become a potential target for Golden State if he rebuilds his value. It is the kind of midseason ripple effect that can shape more than one roster, especially when the Warriors are balancing urgency, age, and the possibility of a hard pivot if things go sideways. [Read more 🡒]