The Sacramento Kings stunned many when they dismissed head coach Mike Brown after just 31 games into the 2024-25 season, appointing Doug Christie as interim head coach for the remainder of the year.
Brown, who had been named NBA Coach of the Year in 2022-23 after leading the Kings to a 48-win season and ending a 16-year playoff drought, was unexpectedly let go just two seasons later.
Christie, a former All-Defensive Team player for the Kings, took on the interim head coaching role with confidence. In his 51 games at the helm, Christie guided the Kings to a 27-24 record, helping them reach the play-in tournament, although they ultimately missed the playoffs.
Overall, Christie performed reasonably well as the Sacramento Kings’ interim coach, though the team’s performance wasn’t stellar. With the arrival of new general manager Scott Perry, Christie’s future with the team is uncertain, but there is still some hope for him.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel provided an update on Christie’s uncertain status, noting that while he has the support of his players, the front office remains undecided.
“The biggest question surrounding the Kings is Doug Christie’s future, as he has expressed his desire to stay in Sacramento. However, Perry and the Kings haven’t yet committed to Christie…”
“Sources indicate that Christie has strong backing from the locker room. Despite this, Perry appears to have other plans.”
“During his introductory press conference, Perry stated that while he has met with Christie, he intends to interview other candidates before making a decision. Many are speculating that Perry may already have a preferred candidate and could keep Christie as a fallback option.”
The Kings’ players have praised Christie for being a “player’s coach,” but the question remains: Is he the best choice for a franchise aiming to compete? It wouldn’t be surprising if Perry looks to make a change, but making such a move early in his tenure could risk losing the locker room, which wouldn’t reflect well on his leadership.
During his introductory press conference, Perry discussed the head coaching search and expressed his intention to make a decision soon.
“My phone has been ringing nonstop with interest in this [head coaching] position, so I plan to have a few more discussions about it,” Perry said. “I’m hoping to reach a resolution within the next week or so.”
Perry’s first major decision as general manager will likely be determining the future of the head coaching role, and he appears to be trusted to make the right choice. While it was nice to see Christie return as head coach of his former team, even in an interim capacity, it may be time for the Kings to move in a new direction.