The Sacramento Kings will keep Doug Christie as head coach heading into next season, despite a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. According to The Athletic, the decision reflects the challenges of the roster Christie inherited and injuries that plagued the team. Sacramento is set to finish among the Western Conference's bottom teams.
Doug Christie took over as interim coach midway through the 2024-25 season, replacing Mike Brown. He had joined the Kings' staff before the 2021-22 season and stayed on under Brown, who earned unanimous Coach of the Year honors in 2022-23 for returning the team to the playoffs after 2006. Brown's tenure ended early the following year, leading to Christie's promotion amid roster upheaval, including star guard De'Aaron Fox forcing a trade to the San Antonio Spurs. The Kings prioritized player value over draft picks, avoiding Zach LaVine's contract, and later signed Dennis Schröder before trading him at the 2025 deadline. Expectations for playoffs faded quickly in 2025-26, with just three wins in the first seven games followed by a nine-game skid. By the All-Star break, Sacramento held the NBA's worst record at 12-44, though they notched 10 wins in the second half. An April 7 incident against the Golden State Warriors, where the Kings intentionally fouled Seth Curry, drew an NBA probe for potential tanking but was ruled a coaching error. The team's future hinges on the May lottery. Since owner Vivek Ranadivé's 2013 purchase, Christie marks the seventh permanent coach, with general manager Scott Perry as the fourth lead executive in that span. Together, they aim to rebuild amid Sacramento's history of instability.
