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Mar 22, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings interim head coach Doug Christie talks to media members before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

This Stat Could be Key to Kings' Success in 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Will Zimmerle | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 6:16 PM ET

The Sacramento Kings aren't expected to be contenders next season as they continue their roster rebuild under new General Manager Scott Perry, but they do still have enough talent on the roster to be relatively competitive and be in the play-in conversation at least.

However, they'll need to be much better than they were in multiple regards, including defense and building a team culture and identity. While we don't know exactly what schemes first-year head coach Doug Christie will employ, we have hints from his time as interim head coach last year and knowledge of his playstyle from his playing days.

The early 2000s Kings were known for their beautiful offense centered on moving and sharing the ball, something that Christie seems intent on bringing to the current iteration of the team.

Looking back to last year, the Kings were right around average when it came to passing and assists. They averaged 287.2 passes and 26.5 assists per game last season, good for 12th and 13th in the league, respectively.

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

That's a drop-off from the 2022-23 Beam Team season, when the Kings averaged 299.3 and 27.3 of each per game, both of which were fourth most in the league on the season.

While that doesn't seem like a drastic drop-off, it's clear that the Kings have been on the wrong trajectory over the last three seasons when it comes to passing and setting up teammates.

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Many are quick to point out that players need to hit shots in order for assists to count, but the Kings averaged 49.7 potential assists in 2022-23 and 46.5 last season. So it's not just that players were missing more shots last season, there was also a drop in generated looks from teammates.

There are a lot of important stats in today's NBA, but assists may be one of the most telling, as they tell multiple stories in one single stat. Like mentioned above, the more assists a team has, the more shots they made on the night.

And it's no wonder that the Kings saw a drastic difference in their assists in their wins and losses last season. In wins, they averaged 28.1, and in losses, 24.9. For reference, that 28.1 would have ranked ninth in the league, while 24.9 would have ranked 26th.

When the Kings had at least 28 assists last season, they had a record of 22-10, good for a .688 winning percentage. When they were at 27 or less, they were 18-32 (.360). The numbers don't lie, when they get the assists, they win.

So now the question becomes; can the Kings up their assist numbers next season under Doug Christie? With a full training camp and time for Christie to implement his own offense, it feels likely that the number will go up at least a little.

They have one of the best passing bigs in the game in Domantas Sabonis, and adding Dennis Schröder to run the point should help stabilize the team, as he's an underrated passer who's averaged over four assists for the last 11 years. But only time will tell if the 2025-26 team can capture any of the magic that Christie and the rest of the early 2000s team had in Sacramento and climb to the top of the league in passing and assists.

This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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