The Sacramento Kings have gone into the coaching staff with the same rebuild mentality they’ve used on the roster, and the changes are starting to pile up.
Since Mike Brown was fired in late 2024 and Doug Christie was officially hired in early 2025, the staff had settled in with only a few arrivals and departures over the next year and a half. That changed on September 14, 2026, when the Kings rolled out their biggest staff overhaul of the rebuild so far. The moves included both internal reshuffling and new additions, the kind of adjustments a team heading into training camp should be making.
D.J. Ham is one of the central pieces in the shake-up.
After serving as the head of player development last season, he has been promoted to assistant coach under Christie. That opened the door for Joe Ajike to take over as the new head of player development.
Jason Maxiell is also moving up. After coaching in the G League with the Stockton Kings, he’s been elevated to the player development coach role, a job that carries real weight on a roster with so many rookies and sophomores.
The Kings also added Brendan Suhr as an assistant coach and brought in Imhotep “Tap” George as a coaching associate.
For Sacramento, this isn’t just about filling seats on the bench. The rebuild has to reach the whole organization, and that includes the people teaching, developing, and directing the players. Scott Perry has already made major changes to the roster while working around the team’s larger contracts, and now the coaching staff is getting the same treatment.
That matters because the Kings’ problems over the last two decades haven’t been limited to the talent on the floor. The people guiding that talent matter too.
And just like with the roster, not every addition will work out. Part of a rebuild is being willing to make another move if someone doesn’t pan out.
For now, though, the Kings are making the kind of upgrades that fit the moment: more voices, more development help, and a staff that looks built to match the rest of the overhaul.
In Other News...
Kings Still Face One Big Sabonis Trade Decision
Sacramento has spent the offseason fielding the kind of trade chatter that follows any established star, but Domantas Sabonis has stayed put for one simple reason: the Kings are not treating him like a salary dump. Interest has surfaced from Charlotte, yet the asking price has been high enough that the two sides have not found common ground, with draft capital part of the discussion as Sacramento looks for positive value in return.
Jake Fischer reported that this has become a broader market issue, not just a one-team conversation. Other clubs have been hesitant to match the Kings demands or to give Sabonis the contract extension he wants, which leaves Sacramento in an awkward but familiar spot. For now, the Kings still have their All-Star center, and there is a growing sense they may choose continuity over a reset as they try to stay competitive through the 2026-27 season. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Expansion Draft Talk Puts Some Costly Veterans On Thin Ice
The NBAs reported target of adding two expansion teams in the 2028-29 season has already stirred up a familiar sort of roster anxiety around the league, and Sacramento is no exception. If an expansion draft were held now, each club could protect eight players, forcing front offices to make some uncomfortable choices about which veterans and rotation pieces they can live without.
Bleacher Reports early speculation on the Kings potential exposure included names such as Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Alex Karaban, Daeqwon Plowden and Ben Simmons, with contract situations, injuries and overall roster balance all part of the discussion. None of that is official, of course, but it does underline the kind of pressure an expansion draft can create, especially for a team trying to keep enough proven talent while still preserving flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Suddenly Have A Backup PG Decision Fans Will Debate
The Kings have quietly given themselves a real choice behind the starting point guard spot, adding both Ben Simmons and Elfrid Payton as answers to a bench role that needed more structure. Sacramento now has two different ways to manage offense when the starters sit, with each player bringing the kind of ball-handling and playmaking that can stabilize second units and keep the tempo from slipping.
Doug Christie does not have to force a one-size-fits-all solution, and that may be the most interesting part of this camp battle. Simmons offers a different kind of impact because of his defensive versatility, while Payton brings a more traditional lead-guard feel, leaving the Kings with a decision that could depend on matchups, lineups and how they want to initiate offense off the bench when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]