Doug Christie's first full season as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings wasn't exactly great. It wasn't all his fault as injuries combined with a fluctuating roster were beyond his control. That doesn't change the fact that he's on surprisingly thin ice and works for an owner not known for his patience.
A lot of people weren't sure that Christie would survive the offseason considering his first year as head coach ended with a record of 22 and 60. There was even a historic losing streak of 16 games in there. NBA teams have fired coaches for far less than that, without question.
At the same time, it's important to acknowledge the parameters Christie was coaching under. He had an incoherent, imbalanced roster. The barrage of injuries was bordering on absurd. His presumptive starting five never played a single minute together. No one is pulling a winning season out of that.
Frankly, the fact that the Kings managed to win 22 games with all of those hurdles in their way is a minor miracle. That's why Sacramento's micro-managing co-owner, Vivek Ranadive, is giving Christie another shot in 2026-2027. Everyone wants to see how he navigates through hopefully calmer seas.
Christie's job is not safe, no matter what the Kings say
Despite vocal support from general manager Scott Perry, Christie is by no means safe. This is a franchise that has had 13 head coaches since letting the legendary Rick Adelman walk in 2006. Keep in mind Sacramento let Adleman go after leading the Kings to playoffs eight seasons in a row.
Even Mike Brown wasn't safe as their head coach. He got the Kings to the playoffs in 2023, the first time since Adelman's departure. Brown even won NBA Coach of the Year for his work with the Kings, and they still fired him. Success for head coaches in Sacramento is a moving target at best.
Adelman's recent passing and Brown's unmitigated success with the Knicks has only turned up the heat on Christie. Fans, players, and the front office have been reminded how good things can be with the right bench boss. And many people are already convinced that isn't ever going to be Christie.
The reality is that Ranadive is famously impatient with head coaches. Christie has to show serious improvement this season to keep his job. There are too many battle-tested head coaches out there not to mention a litany of great assistant looking for their chance to shine.
