NBA rumors: Front-runner emergess to become Sacramento Kings head coach

The Sacramento Kings fired general manager Monter McNair minutes after their NBA Play-In Tournament loss to the Dallas Mavericks. One day later, the team agreed to hire former New York Knicks executive Scott Perry as the new general manager. With a new Kings general manager in place, a head coach might not be far behind.

Sacramento fired head coach Mike Brown after 31 games, following a 13-18 record with the club. Brown helped coach the team to consecutive winning seasons, snapping the franchise’s 16-year playoff drought. However, team owner Vivek Ranadive moved on from him early in the season.

The Kings made Doug Christie the interim coach. He got off to a fantastic start, with the team posting a 10-1 record and a +8.8 point differential to surge back up the NBA standings. Sacramento also had a 9-6 record from January 27 to March 3, with Christie compiling a 19-9 record early on.

Doug Christie coaching record: 27-24 as Sacramento Kings head coach

However, the team went just 8-14 the rest of the way with a -3.3 point differential. Sacramento still managed to sneak into the NBA Play-In Tournament but lost to Dallas 120-106. Now, the Kings coaching search is underway with a new general manager in place.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Christie is ‘well-positioned’ to remain the Kings’ head coach for the 2025-’26 season with strong support from Ranadive.

It wouldn’t be a surprising outcome, especially with Ranadive now paying a fired head coach and general manager for next season. After all, Brown was fired less than a year after he signed a contract extension through the 2026-’27 season worth $8.5 million per season.

Keeping Christie is the most cost-effective option and when paired with his relationship with Ranadive, perfectly explains the expected decision. However, given the team’s fall-off and its aging roster, it’s certainly possible things won’t get better next season.