Doug Christie named interim head coach in wake of Brown’s firing

Dec 27, 2024, 3:03 PM | Updated: 3:12 pm

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 19: Acting head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings direc...

Acting head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings directs players on the court against the San Antonio Spurs at Golden 1 Center on December 19, 2021 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/Getty Images)

(Photo by Kavin Mistry/Getty Images)

BY BRENDEN NUNES

Sactown Sports writer

Roughly an hour after firing head coach Mike Brown, the Sacramento Kings have announced that Doug Christie will be their interim head coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season.

The Athletic‘s Sam Amick broke the news Friday afternoon not long after Brown had a post-practice media availability in the Golden 1 Center training facility.

Sitting at 12th in the West (13-18), new interim head coach Christie will have a tall ask ahead of him in the final 51 games of the regular season.

In the wake of the Mike Brown firing, Kings assistant Doug Christie will be the new interim coach, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) December 27, 2024

The roster still has plenty of talent with De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, and Keegan Murray, but their imbalance and lack of wings/forwards remain true.

Christie is known to have a good relationship with Sabonis, having been his assigned coach for workouts since he was traded to Sacramento in February 2022.

But who knows what this will mean for Fox’s future in California’s capital, given the public comments he’s made about wanting the team’s competitive standing to improve before he commits to another long-term contract.

More on the Sacramento Kings firing head coach Mike Brown

A rough start to the 2024-25 season has caused the Sacramento Kings to make a head coaching change.

Mike Brown, the unanimous NBA Head Coach of the Year award winner from the 2022-23 season, has parted ways with the Kings, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Sacramento (13-18) is five games under the .500 mark and is in the midst of its first five-game losing streak since January 2022, creating tension within the Kings organization following back-to-back postseason appearances.

Brown, who signed a multi-year extension with Sacramento just six months ago, will depart with a record of 107-88 (.549) over two and half seasons.

Franchise legend and current assistant coach Doug Christie will assume the role of interim head coach for the final 51 games, per Charania.

Sacramento Kings part ways with head coach Mike Brown

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

Sacramento will head south for a one-game trip to face the Los Angeles Lakers for the final time this regular season.

Los Angeles has won all three matchups against the Kings thus far, including a two-game sweep at Golden 1 Center last week that was capped off by a 103-99 win on Saturday.

The Lakers haven’t swept the Kings in a four-game regular season series since the 2009-10 season.

Be sure to catch all of the Kings vs. Lakers drama right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PT on Game Night before action tips off at 7:30 PM PT from downtown Los Angeles.