Kings exercise team option for 2023-24 season on Davion Mitchell

The Sacramento Kings have exercised their team option for the 2023-24 season on guard Davion Mitchell, according to Kings General Manager Monte McNair.

Selected by the Kings with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mitchell earned 2021-22 NBA Rising Stars team honors as he averaged 11.5 points and 4.2 assists while shooting .418 percent from the field. Mitchell played in 75 games (19 starts) and averaged 27.7 minutes per game during his rookie campaign.

The Hinesville, Georgia, native finished his first season ranked in the top 10 among all rookies in points (11.5 ppg, 10th), assists (4.2 apg, 5th) and minutes per game (27.7 mpg, 10th).

Sacramento Kings basketball operations promotions and staff additions

Today, the Sacramento Kings announced staff promotions and new hires ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Alvin Gentry has been named Vice President of Basketball Engagement. Mark Toyoda has been elevated to Senior Director of Basketball Administration. Melanie Stocking has been promoted to Senior Director of Team Operations. Saagar Sarin has been promoted to Director of Pro Personnel. Aram Palamoudian has been promoted to Basketball Operations Coordinator.

Jas Randhawa has been promoted to Senior Director of Athlete Health Joel Noland has been promoted to Head Athletic Trainer, Zac Howe has been elevated to Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Rachel Mack has been promoted to Performance Chef & Nutritionist, and Avery Jacobs has been promoted to Media Relations Coordinator.

The Kings also announced the following staff additions: Samantha Lord (Basketball Administration Coordinator), Scott Layden (Scout), Devin Green (Scout), Cory Kennedy (Director of Performance), Nicholas Taylor (Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach), Crystal Lee (Assistant Athletic Trainer), Shannon Malone (Director of Media Relations), Michael Martinez (Manager of Media Relations), Olivia Gordon (Basketball Operations Intern), Sam Longwood (Coaching Associate), Shane Lawal (Player Development Associate), Damarious Borden (Performance Culinary Intern).

Sacramento Kings sign Kent Bazemore and Quinn Cook

The Sacramento Kings have signed Kent Bazemore and Quinn Cook, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

Bazemore spent the 2020-21 season with the Golden State Warriors before joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2021-22 season.

Cook appeared in 11 regular season games (eight starts) for the Stockton Kings last season, averaging 23.7 points, 5.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, while shooting 52.4 percent from the field.

Per the Sacramento Bee, “General manager Monte McNair has assembled more talent and depth than Sacramento has seen in years, arguably going back to the last time the Kings made the playoffs in 2006. The Kings are widely expected to contend for a play-in spot and some national analysts believe they will finally end their NBA-record 16-year playoff drought, but first they have to finalize their roster and rotation.”

Sacramento Kings sign KZ Okpala

The Sacramento Kings yesterday signed forward KZ Okpala, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

A 6-8 forward, Okpala spent the last three seasons with the Miami Heat (2019-22), who selected him with the 32nd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Per the Sacramento Bee, “Okpala is already well acquainted with Kings coach Mike Brown, assistant coaches Jordi Fernandez and Luke Loucks and new teammate Chimezie Metu from their time together with the Nigerian national team. Brown coached the team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Okpala will likely find himself fighting for one of the team’s final roster spots and an opportunity to earn a backup role. He has logged most of his NBA minutes at power forward, but the Kings believe he can defend multiple positions.”

Sacramento Kings announce coaching staff for 2022-23 NBA season

The Sacramento Kings announced today the members of Head Coach Mike Brown’s coaching staff for the 2022-23 season.

Jordi Fernandez has been named associate head coach. Jay Triano, Doug Christie, Luke Loucks and Leandro Barbosa will serve as assistant coaches. Dutch Gaitley will serve as an assistant coach and director of player development, and Lindsey Harding will be an assistant coach and player development coach.

Additionally, Deividas Dulkys will serve as a player development coach, Robbie Lemons as senior director of coaching analytics and strategy, Charles Allen as head video coordinator/special assistant to the Head Coach and Garrius Adams as assistant video coordinator.

“We have assembled a diverse and talented group of coaches with unique experiences who will positively impact our players’ individual development,” said Head Coach Mike Brown. “Collectively, they all embrace the core values that will be critical to our overall team success. I couldn’t be more excited to work with them.”

Jordi Fernandez joins the Sacramento Kings bench having served six seasons with the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach (2016-22). Prior to his time with the Nuggets, Fernandez was the head coach of the NBA G League’s Canton Charge for two seasons (2014-16), leading the Charge to a 62-38 regular season record in that time, including two appearances in the G League Eastern Conference Finals. He was also the lead assistant for the Charge for a season after working as a player development coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-13), being hired by Brown before the 2009-10 season. A native of Badalona, Spain, Fernandez has served as an assistant coach on the international level, as the lead assistant for both the Nigerian men’s national team at the 2020 Olympics and the Spanish National Team, most recently at EuroBasket 2017 and previously at the 2013 U-19 World Championships in Prague and for Club Basquet l’Hospitalet of the Spanish professional league. Additionally, he also worked as a player development coach with Impact Basketball in Las Vegas.

Jay Triano is a veteran coach with 20 years of NBA coaching experience. Prior to joining the Kings bench, Triano spent four seasons as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets (2018-22) after previously spending two seasons as the associate head coach and interim head coach of the Phoenix Suns from 2016-18. A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Triano entered the NBA in 1996 working a variety of roles with the Vancouver Grizzlies. In 2002 he started his NBA coaching career as an assistant coach with the Raptors and served in that capacity until December 2008, when he was named interim head coach. The first Canadian-born head coach in NBA history, he went on to serve as head coach of Toronto for the remainder of that season and two more seasons after that. From 2012-16, Triano was an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers before moving to the Suns as associate head coach in 2016-17. He was Phoenix’s interim head coach for 79 games during the 2017-18 season. Triano has had two stints as the head coach of the Canadian National Team from 2012-2019 and 1999-2004, as he led Canada to a 5-2 record during the 2000 Olympics. In addition, he has experience as an assistant coach with USA Basketball, including at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, where he helped guide Team USA to the gold medal over Turkey. Triano is the only Canadian ever drafted in both the NBA and the Canadian Football League. Additionally, Triano has authored two books and in 2016 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from the University of Calgary.

Doug Christie returns to the Kings bench following the 2021-22 season, his first season as an assistant coach with Sacramento. Christie played 14 seasons in the NBA for seven teams, including the Kings from 2000-2005, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2003 and All-Defensive Second Team in 2001, 2002, and 2004 as he helped Sacramento reach the postseason in each of his five seasons with the team. Christie is the Sacramento-era leader in career steals (717) and second on the all-time franchise leaders list in steals for the Kings and Toronto Raptors (664). The 14-year NBA veteran attended Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Wash., where he led the Vikings to their first state basketball championship in 1988. After graduating from Rainier Beach, Christie headed south to Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., where he played three seasons for the Waves from 1989-92. Christie ranks third in career steals (168) in program history and won back-to-back WCC Player of the Year awards (1990-92). Christie lives in Sacramento with his wife Jackie, son Douglas and new four-legged family member, Ghost.

Luke Loucks joins the Kings staff having already served as an assistant coach under Brown for the Nigerian men’s national team. Loucks worked in basketball strategy and personnel evaluation for the Phoenix Suns during the 2021-22 season. Before joining the Suns organization, he spent five seasons with the Golden State Warriors, winning two NBA Championships (2016-17 and 2017-18) and three Western Conference Finals (2016-19). He worked as a player development coach (2019-21), a two-way development coach (2017-19) and video/player development intern in 2016-17 season. As a two-way player development coach, he specialized in on-court tutelage and instruction for Golden State’s two-way assignment players. Loucks played four seasons at Florida State where he ranks tied for fourth in program history in career games played (136). He was a part of four straight NCAA tournament appearances, won the ACC Championship in 2012, and was third in the ACC in assists. After his time at FSU, he went on to play professionally for four seasons in Latvia, Cyprus, Belgium, Germany and for the Maine Red Claws and Erie Bayhawks of the NBA G League, before joining the Warriors staff.

Leandro Barbosa heads into his first season as an assistant coach with Sacramento following two seasons with Golden State (2020-22), winning the 2022 NBA title with Coach Brown. Barbosa served as a player development coach for the Warriors during the 2021-22 campaign after he was a player mentor coach in 2020-21. Originally selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 28th overall selection in the 2003 NBA Draft, Barbosa’s NBA career spanned 15 seasons. In 850 career games, he averaged 10.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game with the Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics and the Warriors. Barbosa is ninth in career games played (553) in Suns franchise history and earned NBA Sixth Man of the Year honors with Phoenix during the 2006-07 season. He was a member of the Warriors team that won the NBA title during the 2014-15 season and spent the final three years of his professional playing career in his home country of Brazil (2017-20).

Dutch Gaitley comes to Sacramento after four seasons as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets (2018-22), serving as the Hornets Summer League head coach in 2021. A Haverford, Pa. native, Gaitley began his career in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, a tenure that spanned five seasons from 2013-2018. He started with San Antonio as an intern during the 2013-14 season and was part of the 2014 NBA Finals championship team. Following his internship, Gaitley was named assistant video coordinator in 2014 and promoted to head video coordinator in 2016, a role he held until joining the Hornets. In 2019, Gaitley participated in the first ever FIBA Basketball without Borders camp in Columbia as well as assisted in the fifth annual Basketball without Borders Global Camp in Charlotte during the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend. Before working in the Association, he was the video coordinator at Lehigh University (2012-13) and a graduate assistant at Temple University (2011-12). Gaitley played four years collegiately, spending his senior year at Temple after three seasons at Monmouth University (2007-10).

Lindsey Harding remains in Sacramento after spending the previous three seasons with the Kings as an assistant coach/player development coach. In 2021, Harding was appointed head coaching duties for the South Sudan Women’s Senior National Team, leading the team at the FIBA AfroBasket qualifier, the country’s first time entering a women’s tournament. Prior to her time in Sacramento, Harding was promoted as a player development coach with the Philadelphia 76ers after working as a pro personnel scout for the club during the 2018-19 season following a nine-year career in the WNBA. The Houston, Texas native made 270 career appearances in the WNBA while also playing internationally in Turkey, Lithuania, Russia and at the 2016 Summer Olympics for the Belarus women’s national basketball team. Harding was selected first overall in the 2007 WNBA Draft following a standout career at Duke (2002-07) where she was named 2007 Naismith College Player of the Year and had her No. 10 retired and enshrined into the Duke Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

Deividas Dulkys, a Šilutė, Lithuania native, joins the Kings as a player development coach after he was an assistant coach for the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League during the 2021-22 season. He played collegiately at Florida State University from 2008-12, helping the Seminoles reach the NCAA Tournament four straight seasons. Dulkys ranks third all-time in made 3-pointers (203) in FSU program history and went on to enjoy a 10-year international playing career through 2021. He played professionally in Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Turkey, Italy and Spain and earned Polish League All-Star honors in 2014 after leading the league in scoring.

Robbie Lemons begins his seventh season with the Kings and first as senior director, coaching analytics and strategy. In this role, Lemons will serve on the coaching staff providing analytical insights and strategy to Coach Brown and his staff. He will also support the front office during the offseason free agency and draft periods. Prior to this role, Lemons worked in the front office as a pro scout, college scout and supported basketball administration. Before joining the Kings, Lemons graduated with honors from Stanford University in 2015 with a BA in Economics and a MA in Public Policy. Lemons played on Stanford’s basketball team (2010-2014) and was awarded First Team PAC-12 All-Academic selection and the PAC-12 Leadership Award. Subsequently, he completed a MSC in Banking and Finance from Newcastle University with distinction, while competing for the university’s inter-collegiate and national level teams.

Charles Allen is the new head video coordinator for the Kings after working with the Utah Jazz for the last three seasons. Along with his duties as head video coordinator, Allen will serve as a special assistant to the head coach. He spent the last two seasons in Utah as the team’s head video coordinator from 2020-22 after working as the assistant video coordinator for the team during the 2019-20 season. During his three seasons with the Jazz, he focused on player development, advance scouting and video analysis. Allen was also an assistant video coordinator with the Houston Rockets (2018-19) and Phoenix Suns (2017-18). Before his time in the NBA, Allen worked as an assistant video coordinator (2017) and basketball student assistant & analytics team member (2014-17) at the University of Houston after playing two seasons at Dallas Baptist University.

Garrius Adams returns to Sacramento for his second season with the Kings as assistant video coordinator. He heads into his fifth season in the NBA after also spending two seasons as assistant video coordinator with the Charlotte Hornets (2019-21) and the 2018-19 season as a coaching associate for the Los Angeles Lakers. A former international player, Adams played three seasons in Europe throughout Belgium, France and Montenegro. He graduated from the University of Miami in 2014 after a four-year playing career for the Hurricanes.

2022-23 Sacramento Kings preseason game schedule

The Sacramento Kings have announced their four-game 2022-23 preseason schedule, tipping off at Crypto.com Arena against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, Oct. 3 (7:30 p.m. PDT).

The following week, the Kings face the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 center on Sunday, Oct. 9 (6 p.m. PDT). Sacramento then travels to Phoenix for its final road game against the Suns on Wednesday, Oct. 12 (7 p.m. PDT) at Footprint Center.

The Kings return home to take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center on Friday, Oct. 14 (7 p.m. PDT).

Sacramento Kings sign Chima Moneke

The Sacramento Kings have signed forward Chima Moneke, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

During the 2021-22 campaign, Moneke competed in 52 games for BAXI Manresa, averaging 14.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 23.5 minutes per game. The 6-6 forward earned Basketball Champions League MVP honors averaging 13.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 22.2 minutes per contest over 15 games, helping his team advance to the Basketball Champions League semifinals.

Moneke, who played collegiately at UC Davis, averaged 16.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game through 57 games with the Aggies from 2015-18.

Per the Sacramento Bee, “Kings coach Mike Brown coached the Nigerian national team at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Kings forwards Chimezie Metu and KZ Okpala were part of that team. Moneke didn’t play in the Olympic Games but was part of the preliminary squad that took down Team USA in an exhibition prior to the Olympics.”

Kings rookie forward Keegan Murray named 2022 NBA Summer League MVP

Sacramento Kings rookie forward Keegan Murray has been named Summer League 2022 Most Valuable Player, as selected by a panel of media. Along with earning MVP honors, the NBA announced Murray as an All-Summer League First Team selection.

Murray started all four games he appeared in at Summer League, averaging 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.9 minutes per game. Selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Murray converted 50.0% of his field goal attempts while also shooting 40.0% from 3-point range. He finished with the highest scoring average by a top-10 pick at Summer League in Las Vegas since 2012.

An Iowa native, Murray also made three appearances during the 2022 California Classic Summer League, accruing averages of 19.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game. Across seven Summer League contests, the 6-8 forward posted 21.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31.2 minutes per outing.

Hawks trade Kevin Huerter to Kings for Maurice Harkless, Justin Holiday and draft pick

The Sacramento Kings yesterday acquired Kevin Huerter in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Maurice Harkless, Justin Holiday and a future first round pick, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

“The opportunity to acquire a player like Kevin is always exciting,” said Kings General Manager Monte McNair. “His ability to create shots and score will make him an instant asset to our team. We would also like to thank Maurice Harkless and Justin Holiday for their many contributions and wish them all the best in the future.”

Huerter, 23, played for Atlanta for the last four seasons (2018-22). During the 2021-22 campaign, Huerter averaged 12.1 points (.454 FG%, .389 3PT%, .808 FT%) 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 29.6 minutes per game through 74 games (60 starts).

“In acquiring Justin and Moe, we add two defensive-minded, quality veterans who can help our team on the court and in the locker room,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk. “We would like to thank Kevin for his contributions, both on and off the court. He grew as a player and person in his four seasons with us and we wish him the best in Sacramento.”

Holiday, who was acquired by Sacramento on Feb. 8 in a trade with the Indiana Pacers, appeared in 74 total games during the 2021-22 season (65 starts), averaging 10.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 27.8 minutes (.394 FG%, .367 3FG%, .806 FT%). He put in 10-or-more points on 37 occasions this past season, including pouring in a season-high 27 points on 9-11 shooting from the field and a 6-8 mark from three-point territory in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 13. Holiday’s .818 field goal percentage in the victory marked a career-high clip from the floor (min. 10 FGA).

From the 2018-19 campaign through the 2020-21 season, the 6-6 guard saw action in every game (227 total games, 135 starts). Holiday brings nine years of NBA playing experience to the Hawks, having suited up for the Philadelphia 76ers (2012-13), Golden State Warriors (2014-15), Atlanta Hawks (2015-16), Chicago Bulls (2015-16, 2017-18), New York Knicks (2016-17), Memphis Grizzlies (2018-19), Indiana Pacers (2019-22) and Sacramento Kings (2021-22). He has appeared in 576 games (285 starts), tallying 8.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.6 minutes (.398 FG%, .365 3FG%, .820 FT%). He has also seen action in nine postseason games (two starts), registering 3.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 15.8 minutes (.478 FG%, .529 3FG%).

Holiday brings international playing experience to Atlanta, having played for Okapi Aalstar (2011-12, Belgium) and Szolnoki Olaj (2013-14, Hungary). The Chatsworth, California, native suited up for the Washington Huskies from 2007-11, earning a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team in 2010. Holiday’s younger brother, Aaron, was recently signed by the Atlanta Hawks, while his older brother, Jrue, is a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Harkless appeared in 47 games (24 starts) for the Kings during the 2021-22 season, notching 4.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 18.4 minutes (.459 FG%, .307 3FG%, .714 FT%). He recorded a double-double in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 5, tallying a season-high tying 18 points on 7-14 shooting from the floor, including a 4-8 clip from the three-point line, and a season-high 11 rebounds in 38 minutes.

Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 15th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Harkless has appeared in 621 games (372 starts) over his 10-year career, averaging 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 22.6 minutes (.474 FG%, .320 3FG%, .624 FT%). Acquired by the Orlando Magic as part of a four-team trade prior to the start of his rookie season, the 6-7 forward has played for the Magic (2012-15), Portland Trail Blazers (2015-19), LA Clippers (2019-20), New York Knicks (2019-20), Miami Heat (2020-21) and Sacramento Kings (2020-22). He has appeared in 33 postseason games (32 starts), owning averages of 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 steal in 24.6 minutes (.436 FG%, .289 3FG%, .609 FT%).

A native of Queens, New York, Harkless played collegiately at St. John’s for one season (2011-12) before entering the NBA Draft. In his sole season suiting up for the Red Storm, he was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, as well as a member of the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team and an All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention.

Sacramento Kings sign Malik Monk

The Sacramento Kings have signed free agent guard Malik Monk, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

“Malik Monk is an elite shooter, fierce competitor and tremendous athlete,” said McNair. “We’re thrilled to have him join us in Sacramento.”

Monk’s deal with the Kings is reportedly a two-year, $19 million contract.

During the 2021-22 campaign, Monk competed in 76 games (37 starts) and averaged 13.8 points (.473 FG%, .391 3PT%, .795 FT%), 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 28.1 minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers. Monk posted career-highs in points (41), field-goals made (14), rebounds (10) and blocks (3) during the 2021-22 season.

Per the Sacramento Bee, “Monk is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard who will help the Kings improve their shooting around Fox and center Domantas Sabonis.”

A five-year NBA veteran, Monk has accrued career averages of 10.3 points (.424 FG%, .355 3pt%, .830 FT%), 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 20.4 minutes per game in 309 games (38 starts) for two teams, the Charlotte Hornets (2017-21) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2021-22).

Selected by the Hornets with the 11th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Monk spent one season at the University of Kentucky where he helped lead the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 in 2018.

Monk will wear No. 0 for the Kings.