Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie is set to drop the word “interim” from his title as the team is reportedly finalizing a long-term deal to officially make him their next head coach, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Christie took over as the team’s interim head coach after Mike Brown was fired in December, with the Kings at a 13-18 record. Under Christie’s guidance, the team showed significant improvement, finishing the season 27-24 and displaying a much-improved offense. Sacramento concluded the season with a 40-42 record, securing the ninth spot in the Western Conference. The team’s season ended with a loss in the first game of the play-in tournament against the Dallas Mavericks.
Following the season’s end, the Kings parted ways with general manager Monte McNair and quickly hired Scott Perry to take over the role. Despite the change in management, reports indicated that Christie was “well-positioned to keep his job,” as per The Athletic.
Christie, a 15-year NBA veteran, spent five seasons with the Kings during his playing career, averaging 11.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He also played for the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, and Toronto Raptors. After his playing career, Christie worked as a color commentator for the Kings on NBC Sports before joining the team as an assistant coach in 2021. He remained in that role until December when Brown was fired.
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