Carmichael Dave & Jason Ross: Is Doug Christie’s job is safe?

The Sacramento Kings are on the verge of tying their worst start to a season in franchise history. Is Doug Christie's job as head coach safe?

BY SACTOWN SPORTS

Nov 2, 2026, 12:16 PM Updated: 1:28 pm

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Watch: When will the Sacramento Kings make a head coaching change--and who will be next? | 8 mins

Nobody in Kingsland wants to say the words out loud, so the question gets asked sideways: if the Sacramento Kings lose to the Lakers at home, is head coach Doug Christie in trouble?

On a recent episode of Sactown Sports’ The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross, the answer from Dave was that Christie is in trouble already. The only open question is when.

Dave’s case rests on instinct built from years around the team. He compared the mood to the stretch before the Detroit game that preceded Mike Brown’s firing in December 2024.

“It smells very much like a coach firing, especially if they come off the trip 0-7,” Dave said.

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings looks on against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second quarter at Intuit Dome on December 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings looks on against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second quarter at Intuit Dome on December 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Will the Kings be patient with Doug Christie?

The organization’s public line is patience.

Dave said he’s been told the same thing The Athletic‘s Sam Amick reported: the Kings want to see Doug Christie with a healthier roster, with Keegan Murray back among them.

But Dave expects the Kings to move either after the Lakers game or soon after, and he said he’d be “very surprised” if they didn’t.

His read on what comes next is just as specific. Mike Woodson, already on the bench, would likely take over as a caretaker. Then comes a wide search in the offseason, and Dave said he would make Tom Thibodeau the favorite.

“It would absolutely be Tom Thibodeau,” Dave said.

Jason Ross agreed on the outline but not the urgency. He had always figured this was Christie’s year to prove himself, with GM Scott Perry’s roster plans lining up more for next season. A great year would have changed that.

This is not a great year, and Jason noted that coaches have been fired for far better records.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 20: Head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings talks to his players during the game against the Miami Heat at Golden 1 Center on January 20, 2026 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

His worry is the compounding effect. Losing at Dallas would match the franchise record for a winless start, and then comes a Lakers crowd likely full of visiting fans.

“That’s a vibe killer, right?” Jason said. “Doesn’t mean that’s the job-ender.”

He would not call a firing imminent. But he said the fact that it’s being mentioned at all means the idea is out there.

Neither host sees a rescue on the calendar. Dave ran through the upcoming games and doesn’t see the Kings favored against the Lakers, San Antonio, Miami or Orlando. He said the best shot at being favored is Nov. 18 against Phoenix.

That is why the hosts keep falling back on the NBA’s “anything can happen” line. It is less a prediction than a place to hold on.

The counterweight is what the Kings say they are really doing. Dave pointed out that wins are not the top goal. Establishing Acuff as a franchise centerpiece is, and the coaching staff is giving him heavy minutes and “road miles.”

Jason’s response was blunt: on that front, “they’ve checked the box.” He allowed that any coach might manage it, but said this group is doing it.

So the question is whether the organization sees Doug Christie as the one developing the kids or the one holding them back. Dave flagged one worry: whether everyone agrees on how much young players such as Clifford should play.

Without a clear answer, the record may decide it.

Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PDT, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

Sactown Sports’ Carmichael Dave and Jason Ross.

Disclosure: This article was transcribed from our original audio content and edited for readability with the assistance of generative AI. The article has been reviewed by our editorial team prior to publication. Please watch or listen to the clip above for the full segment.