Kings to Bring Back Coach Doug Christie for Second Season

Despite one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Sacramento retains head coach for 2027-28 campaign.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 6:22pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball game or match, with sharp geometric shapes in deep purple, forest green, and burnt orange overlapping to create a sense of motion and chaos on the court.The Kings' tumultuous season exposed cracks in the team's foundation, but the franchise's commitment to coach Doug Christie signals a desire to rebuild through a new, unconventional approach.Today in Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings will bring back Doug Christie as head coach for a second full season, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. Christie was initially hired on an interim basis in 2024-25 after the team fired Mike Brown, and led the Kings to a 27-24 record the rest of that season before they were eliminated in the play-in tournament.

Why it matters

The Kings' decision to retain Christie comes despite the team posting one of the worst records in franchise history this past season, going just 12-46 through mid-February. Injuries to key players like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and DeAndre Hunter derailed the campaign early on, though the team showed some improvement late in the year.

The details

The Kings hired Scott Perry as general manager after last season and made the decision to keep Christie as head coach. This season, Sacramento had a league-worst 12-46 record in mid-February following a 16-game losing streak, though the team went 10-13 down the stretch. The 59 losses headed into the final game are tied for the second most in franchise history.

  • Christie was initially hired on an interim basis after Mike Brown was fired early in the 2024-25 season.
  • Sacramento went 27-24 the rest of the 2024-25 season before getting knocked out in the play-in tournament.
  • The Kings hired Scott Perry as general manager after last season and made the decision to retain Christie.
  • This season, Sacramento had a league-worst 12-46 record in mid-February following a 16-game losing streak.
  • The team showed some life late in the season, going 10-13 headed into Sunday's season finale.

The players

Doug Christie

The head coach of the Sacramento Kings who will return for a second full season despite the team's poor performance this past year.

Mike Brown

The former head coach of the Sacramento Kings who was fired early in the 2024-25 season, leading to Doug Christie's interim appointment.

Scott Perry

The general manager of the Sacramento Kings who was hired after last season and made the decision to retain Doug Christie as head coach.

Domantas Sabonis

A key veteran player for the Sacramento Kings who missed significant time this season due to injury, contributing to the team's poor record.

Zach LaVine

A key veteran player for the Sacramento Kings who missed significant time this season due to injury, contributing to the team's poor record.

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What’s next

The Kings are currently tied with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the league and are hoping for good fortune in the NBA Draft lottery to find a player to build around after trading away star De'Aaron Fox last season.

The takeaway

The Kings' decision to retain Doug Christie as head coach despite a disastrous season underscores the team's belief in his long-term vision, even as they look to the draft lottery to find a potential franchise cornerstone to pair with their young core.