Report: Sacramento Kings finalizing deal to name Doug Christie head coach

According to Shams Charania, the Sacramento Kings are finalizing a deal to make Doug Christie their head coach moving forward.

BY BRENDEN NUNES

Apr 29, 2025, 9:21 AM

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The Sacramento Kings have filled their head coach opening, removing the interim tag from Doug Christie.

According to ESPN‘s Shams Charania, “The Sacramento Kings and interim coach Doug Christie are finalizing a multiyear contract to make Christie the franchise’s next head coach.”

Taking over in the middle of the 2024-25 season after the organization elected to move on from Mike Brown, Sacramento posted a 27-24 record under Christie before being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the 9/10 play-in matchup.

Sacramento went 27-24 this season under Christie, ranking ninth in offensive efficiency during that span and going 13-10 in clutch time games compared to 6-13 earlier in the campaign, per ESPN Research. Kings hired Scott Perry as their new GM, and now make decision on next coach. https://t.co/I90OwuRTbE

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 29, 2025

It’s the organization’s first move under new general manager Scott Perry, who spoke about his relationship with Christie during his introductory press conference last week.

“(Christie and I) have had a few conversations up to this point,” the GM said last Wednesday. “He was one of the first people I met with yesterday when I got into town.”

“My phone has incessantly rung for interest in this [head coaching] job. So, I want to have a few more conversations in and around about this job, and hopefully, I can come to some sort of resolution within the next week or so in terms of having a decision or an announcement to inform everybody.”

Many questions exist about whether Perry was given full autonomy to hire a head coach or whether or not it was part of his agreement that Doug Christie would be promoted into the long-term position — a complicated situation that the Kings created years prior.

But, now Doug Christie is locked into the position. He and Perry will try to help Sacramento climb the crowded Western Conference standings.

More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports

Recently-named Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to share his thoughts on returning to the 916 following a brief tenure with the team in 2017, explain his vision for this current roster, and much more.

Plus, Scott answers a pressing question that has been on the minds of Kings fans: Does he get the final say in basketball-related decisions, or will ownership continue to play a role in that process?

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