This move was expected — and not just when it was reported the sides were close to a deal just days after the Kings’ season came to an end. With Doug Christie being a favorite son of Sacramento’s ownership and front office, this was expected even before Scott Perry was hired as the new general manager. It was expected from the day he got the job on an interim basis.
Christie is officially the new head coach of the Sacramento Kings, the franchise announced Thursday.
“I am deeply humbled to be named head coach of the Sacramento Kings,” Christie said in a statement. “This organization and city have been home for over 20 years. I want to thank the Kings organization and Scott for their support during this process. For me, this opportunity is all about service to the team, the organization, and the city of Sacramento. My family and I couldn’t be more excited for this new chapter.”
“I’ve known Doug a long time and have been impressed with his leadership, presence, and ability to connect deeply with his players,” Perry said in a statement. “He embodies the core values we believe in — toughness, discipline, professionalism, a defensive mindset, and a selfless, team-oriented approach on offense. Our goal is to support him fully and help set the stage for his long-term success. We’re excited to move forward with Doug as our leader.”
The Christie hire is a great narrative that will play well with the fan base. Christie was a popular starting two guard in Sacramento in the early 2000s who has been part of the coaching staff through multiple regimes.
Christie was hired as the interim coach mid-season after Mike Brown was fired after a 13-18 start.
Sacramento went 27-24 overall under Christie, 12-15 with a bottom-10 defense after the All-Star break (and after the trade of De’Aaron Fox that brought back Zach LaVine). For the second consecutive year, the Kings advanced to the Play-In Tournament but were eliminated there.
Who is on the roster that Christie will coach next season is the bigger question — Perry needs to provide a clear direction for this franchise. Sacramento has a core of Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and LaVine, but can they win with that group? The Kings had a -3.5 net rating when those three were on the court together last season.
Whatever direction Perry points the team, he is counting on Christie as coach to be a stabilizing influence who can get the most out of this roster and get the Kings back to the playoffs.
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