Kings reportedly finalizing long-term deal to retain interim coach Doug Christie
Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie is about the drop the word "interim" from his title. The Kings are reportedly working on a long-term deal that will officially make Christie their next head coach, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Christie took over as the team's interim head coach after Mike Brown was fired in December. The Kings were 13-18 at the time. Things improved under Christie's guidance. The Kings went 27-24 the rest of the way and showed a much-improved offense with Christie in charge. Sacramento finished 40-42, good for ninth in the Western Conference. The team lost its first game of the play-in tournament to the Dallas Mavericks, ending its season.
Following that loss, the team parted ways with general manager Monte McNair. The Kings moved quickly, hiring Scott Perry to take over the role. While Perry could choose the team's next head coach, reports suggested Christie was "well-positioned to keep his job," per The Athletic.
Christie — a 15-year NBA veteran — spent five seasons with the Kings. Over his career, Christie averaged 11.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He also played for the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors.
Following his playing career, Christie worked for NBC Sports as a color commentator for the Kings before joining the team as an assistant coach in 2021. He remained in that role until December, when the team fired Brown.
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