Matt Johnson
Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie was kept around following a 22-win season, even after posting a .368 winning percentage in 134 career games. That decision might have to do with the cheap price Sacramento is paying for its head coach.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Christie is “believed to be”the lowest-paid head coach in the NBA at a $2 million average annual salary.
For comparison, Steve Kerr is currently the highest-paid NBA coach at $17.5 million and Erik Spoelstra earns approximately $15 million per season from the Miami Heat. The going rate is often between $8 to $10 million per year, as evidenced by Taylor Jenkins receiving a $10 million salary this offseason to become the Milwaukee Bucks head coach.
Since taking over as the Kings’ head coach nearing the midway point of the 2024-25 NBA season, Christie has one of the worst win totals (49) among active NBA head coaches.
With the Kings currently projected to be over the NBA’s luxury tax line for the 2026-27 season, it’s not surprising to see owner Vivek Ranadive cutting costs elsewhere. While Christie hasn’t proven himself to be an NBA-caliber coach, he’s shown loyalty to the franchise and seems to be the most cost-effective option for a rebuilding team.
There’s a long-term risk here, however. As we’re seeing with the Portland Trail Blazers under new owner Tom Dundon, trying to pinch pennies with the coaches can hurt a franchise’s reputation.
There are top-tier assistant coaches making more than $1 million per season, with Christie’s salary clearly indicating the Kings aren’t willing to invest significantly into their coaching staff.
