ESPN reports that the Sacramento Kings are finalizing a multiyear deal to make Doug Christie their permanent head coach. Christie served as interim head coach this season after replacing Mike Brown, who was dismissed in December. New Kings general manager Scott Perry, recently hired following the departure of Monte McNair, had met with Christie previously but also considered other potential candidates before making this decision.
Perry seemingly chose Christie based on the team`s performance under him. The Kings finished with a 27-24 record during his time as interim coach. While this record wasn`t enough for post-season success (they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the play-in tournament), the team`s offense ranked ninth best during his interim period.
During his introductory press conference last week, General Manager Scott Perry commented on Christie: “I first met Doug Christie when he was a player in Toronto,” Perry said. “I admire him as a player, his career. I`ve watched him this year from afar. In terms of his ability to have a presence on the court, I think he`s made a connection with players.”
Christie has been with the Kings coaching staff since the 2021-22 season, serving as an assistant. He also played for the team from 2000 to 2005. He is now the 13th head coach for the franchise since Rick Adelman, the team`s longest-serving and most successful coach in history, left in 2006.
Following Adelman`s departure, the Kings have had frequent coaching changes. Mike Brown was the only coach to lead the team to the playoffs, ending a long drought dating back to Adelman`s era. However, Brown was fired just two years after this achievement, indicating that the Kings` front office and owner, Vivek Ranadivé, have limited patience. Christie is likely aware of this.
Christie`s immediate priority will be improving the roster for the upcoming season. Although the team had a top-10 offense under his leadership, their defense was poor, ranking 23rd. This defensive weakness was evident in the play-in game against the Mavericks, who scored effectively against Sacramento.
Mike Brown also struggled to improve the Kings` defense. It remains to be seen if Christie will be more successful in this area. However, simply changing the coach is unlikely to elevate the Kings to contender status in the Western Conference. Significant roster improvements are also necessary, particularly given that recent trades haven`t benefited the team.
Jasper Hawthorne