Kings, Doug Christie agree to multiyear contract after interim run as head coach

The Sacramento Kings and Doug Christie are finalizing a multiyear contract for the interim coach to become the franchise’s next full-time head coach, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Christie, 54, took over for 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown on the sidelines in Sacramento after owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Monte McNair decided to move on from Brown after 31 games. The interim coach immediately earned the trust of his locker room, and they went 27-24 this season under Christie’s leadership.

As a result, the Kings finished the 2024-25 season with a 40-42 record, earning the 9-seed in the Western Conference play-in tournament. Ultimately, the Kings fell short of making the playoffs after losing their first play-in game to the Dallas Mavericks.

Sacramento ranked ninth in offensive efficiency during that span and went 13-10 in clutch-time games, compared to 6-13 earlier in the season with Brown, according to ESPN.

After recently parting ways with McNair and replacing him with Scott Perry as the team’s new general manager, Perry ultimately made the decision to keep Christie in the Kings’ long-term plans.

This is a developing story that will be updated shortly.