The Sacramento Kings are on the verge of securing Doug Christie as their head coach after he served on an interim basis that concluded with a setback in the Play-In Tournament.
According to a source close to the deal, the Kings are in the process of finalizing a multiyear contract with Christie, though the team hasn’t officially announced it yet. Christie stepped into the coaching role following the dismissal of Mike Brown in late December, guiding the team to a 27-24 record in his temporary position. Despite qualifying for the Play-In Tournament as the ninth seed, the Kings faced defeat at home against Dallas.
Following the tournament, general manager Monte McNair and the team decided to part ways mutually, leading to the appointment of Scott Perry as his successor. Perry expressed the desire for a prompt resolution regarding the coaching position, aptly achieving this by retaining Christie. The focus now shifts to steering the Kings back into the postseason, following their Play-In Tournament exits for the last two consecutive seasons.
Historically, the Kings have managed playoff qualification only once in the past 19 seasons, with their sole appearance resulting in a first-round elimination against Golden State in 2023 during Brown’s inaugural season as coach. Since Vivek Ranadive became the owner in 2013, the Kings hold the fifth-worst record in the NBA. The organization has witnessed frequent turnovers, having five chief executives and nine head coaches, interim appointments included.
With the combined efforts of Perry and Christie, the Kings aim to introduce much-needed stability to the franchise. The team has a solid foundation featuring prominent players like Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk.
Regarding their draft prospects, the Kings are unlikely to secure a first-round pick, holding only a 3.8% chance of advancing into the lottery’s top four positions. Otherwise, the pick will be conveyed to Atlanta, part of a previous transaction involving Kevin Huerter.