Why Doug Christie deserves another full season with the Kings

The future of Doug Christie has become one of the biggest storylines surrounding the Sacramento Kings entering the 2026-27 season.

While Christie is effectively coaching in the final guaranteed year of his contract, Sactown Sports’ Matt George and Chris Watkins believe making a coaching change during the season would create more problems than it solves.

George questioned why some fans continue to speculate that Christie could be fired midway through the year if Sacramento struggles out of the gate.

“I don’t understand the possibility or the idea,” George said. “Let’s say 35 games in, the Kings have maybe 10 wins. Moving on from Doug Christie midseason, regardless of the context, in my mind, wouldn’t look great for the Kings.”

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)

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George pointed out that new general manager Scott Perry had every opportunity this offseason to hire his own coach, but instead publicly recommitted to Doug Christie.

Because of that, George believes the organization should allow the partnership to play out for the entire season rather than react to a slow start.

Watkins agreed, noting Sacramento’s lengthy history of coaching turnover. He highlighted that Dave Joerger remains the only Kings coach since Rick Adelman to complete three full seasons, illustrating just how unstable the position has become.

Even recent NBA Coach of the Year winner Mike Brown only lasted just 2.5 seasons in Sacramento.

“There is no reason in my mind for Doug Christie to be given that big of a leash if what we’ve seen so far continues,” Watkins said. “But if he has the ear of those guys, I do kind of think that if you’re Scott Perry, you have to let him finish out at the very least this season.”

Rather than focusing solely on wins and losses, Watkins believes Perry’s evaluation should center on whether Christie’s message is resonating with Sacramento’s young core, including Darius Acuff Jr., Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell and Keegan Murray.

“It really should be more of a vibe thing,” Watkins explained. “If his message isn’t getting through to those guys, that’s where Scott Perry needs to take action.”

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

George also emphasized Acuff’s development as a major reason Christie should receive the full season.

The Kings drafted the rookie knowing Christie would be his first NBA head coach, making continuity especially valuable during the early stages of his career.

“If you trust him to coach Acuff and be the first head coach for Acuff, then trust him for the whole season and see what you get,” George said.

Watkins took the idea even further, questioning why Christie would only be viewed as a one-year solution after Perry chose to retain him this offseason.

“If Doug Christie was brought back for this season, why should it just be for this season?” Watkins asked. “They had a clear opportunity to usher in a new era, and they didn’t do that.”

Both hosts acknowledged that Christie ultimately must produce results, but they argued Sacramento should prioritize establishing an organizational identity and developing its young talent over making another coaching change.

After years of instability, George and Watkins believe continuity may be the most important step the Kings can take with Doug Christie leading the way.

Listen to all episodes of Sactown Sports’ Matt Georgewherever you get your podcasts, and watch each episode on SactownSports.com, the Sactown Sports app, or the Sactown Sports YouTube page.

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What is the next Sacramento Kings Offseason Event?

The start of the 2026-27 season is quickly approaching for Doug Christie and the Sacramento Kings.

Sacramento will begin training camp in late September as they prepare to begin preseason play on Monday, October 5th when they face Luka Doncic and the new-look Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center.

Be sure to stay tuned into Sactown Sports all offseason for roster updates, schedule announcements, analysis, and much more.

Upcoming Sacramento Kings Offseason Schedule

• August TBD – 2026-27 NBA Schedule release
• Late September – NBA training camps begin

Sacramento Kings 2026-27 Preseason Schedule

• Monday, October 5th vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7 P.M. PST)
• Thursday, October 8th @ Los Angeles Lakers (7:30 P.M. PST)
• Saturday, October 10th @ Golden State Warriors (5:30 P.M. PST)
• Tuesday, October 13th vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PST)
• Friday, October 16th @ San Antonio Spurs (7:00 P.M. PST)

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