The Sacramento Kings have announced that interim coach Doug Christie will remain with the team on a long-term basis. Christie, who stepped into the head coaching role in late December after the firing of Mike Brown, has now agreed to a contract to continue leading the Kings.
General manager Scott Perry praised Christie’s leadership, highlighting his ability to connect with players and his embodiment of key team values such as toughness, discipline, and professionalism.
Christie Leads Kings to Play-In Tournament Despite Challenges, Shows Commitment to Team
During his time as interim head coach, Christie led the Kings to a 27-24 record. His efforts helped the team secure a spot in the SoFi Play-In Tournament, although they were ultimately eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 seed game, preventing them from reaching the NBA playoffs.
Despite the disappointment, Christie’s leadership was seen as a positive, with the Kings building a foundation under his guidance, even as they fell short of playoff contention.
Doug Christie (NBA)The Kings’ season was marked by challenges, including the mid-season firing of Mike Brown and a significant trade in February that sent star point guard De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
These moves, combined with the team’s failure to make the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 seasons, led to considerable uncertainty about the franchise’s future. However, after the team’s loss to the Mavericks, Christie expressed his desire to stay with the Kings and complete the work he had started, signaling his commitment to the team moving forward.
Kings Hope New Leadership Brings Stability Amidst Inconsistency and Promising Core of Players
Following the end of the season, Kings general manager Monte McNair parted ways with the organization, and Scott Perry was hired as his replacement. Perry moved quickly to resolve the coaching situation by retaining Christie, emphasizing the need for stability within the franchise.
With the Kings’ ownership under Vivek Ranadive since 2013, the team has struggled with inconsistency, having had five lead executives and nine head coaches in that span. The hope is that the combination of Perry and Christie will bring the stability the team desperately needs.
Despite the struggles in recent years, the Kings have a promising core of players to build around, including Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk. However, the team is unlikely to secure a high first-round draft pick this year, with only a 3.8% chance of landing in the top four.
If they do not, their pick will go to the Atlanta Hawks as part of the previous deal for Kevin Huerter. Christie, who played for the Kings from 2000-2005 and earned All-Defensive honors, is hoping to use his experience and leadership to guide the team back to success.
