Sam Amick would be ‘shocked’ if the Kings get fined for tanking

The fallout from Tuesday night’s controversial finish between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors continues to grow, but according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the explanation behind the late-game sequence is far less scandalous than some have suggested.

As first reported by ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the NBA is reviewing the situation, though team sources insist the decision to foul Warriors guard Seth Curry late in the fourth quarter was simply a coaching error by Doug Christie—not an intentional tanking move.

Amick echoed that sentiment during his appearance on Sactown Sports’ The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross, making it clear the situation has been overblown.

“It’s pretty cut and dry,” Amick said. “Doug thought that they had a foul to give. He didn’t want to lose the timeout. So, that obviously explains why you foul a 90% free throw shooter—because he didn’t think he would be shooting free throws.”

Doug Christie told the Kings to intentionally foul Seth Curry

The Kings were up by 1 in the 4th quarter 😭 pic.twitter.com/U98vQ8zDmK

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 8, 2026

The controversy was amplified postgame when Draymond Green publicly questioned Sacramento’s intent, suggesting the Kings were engaging in tanking behavior. But Amick pushed back on that narrative, framing it as part of a broader issue with how quickly discourse spirals in today’s NBA landscape.

“This Kings thing just kept getting louder,” Amick admitted. “I’m kind of ignoring it, going, ‘This is so stupid.’ But this is the day and age we’re in. If the conversation gets loud enough, it’s tough to ignore.”

That noise has even prompted league involvement, though Amick expressed skepticism about any real consequences.

“I’d be pretty shocked if they get fined. I think that would be absurd,” he said. “Mistakes happen. That’s all there is to it.”

Amick also highlighted the inconsistency in how these situations are treated league-wide.

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

“If you’re going to be this serious about coaching decisions. There are a million of them every night that don’t get this level of attention,” he explained. “Just because Draymond gets really loud, that doesn’t warrant an investigation on its own.”

From Sacramento’s perspective, the idea of intentional tanking in that moment doesn’t add up contextually.

The Sacramento Kings had just erased a large deficit and were competing late. As Amick put it, “You think that in this moment with three minutes to go, that was the moment that we said enough, it’s time to tank? It doesn’t really add up.”

Ultimately, Amick sees the situation as emblematic of a larger trend across the NBA—where social media momentum and public discourse can drive narratives faster than facts.

“It’s a chicken-or-the-egg situation,” he said. “Everybody’s talking about this, so now the media has to react to it.”

Check out the full conversation at the top of the page or by heading over to the Sactown Sports YouTube channel.

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

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

The Sacramento Kings will play their final home game of the 2025-26 season on Friday night when they face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center.

Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 PM PT on Game Night before a 7:00 pm PT tip-off from downtown Sacramento.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Maxime Raynaud believes he’s “the best big in this rookie class”
• Kings legend’s son has impressive showing in NCAA Tournament
• Jerry Reynolds: Kings need to prioritize talent over fit in the NBA Draft
• Have the Kings found their latest two-way success story?

Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season

• Friday, April 10th vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PT
• Sunday, April 12th @ Portland Trail Blazers – 5:30 PM PT (End of season)

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