If there's one person who is incredibly passionate about the Sacramento Kings doing well, it's head coach Doug Christie. He took the stage before their faceoff with the Nuggets on Tuesday evening and laid the gauntlet down. Fans should be happy because that's the leadership the team needs.
“Change is hard…but we understand we’re not there yet. But we’re gonna work at it like crazy…buckle up. The pain of Kings fans…know that I, who experienced that pain, we’re gonna get it right. To all the haters, keep that energy. While you’re doing that, we’re gonna be… pic.twitter.com/phaE2dR3IW
— Kevin John (@heykevinjohn) November 12, 2025
Christie is in a terrible position. After the Kings imploded in the 2024-2025 season, he was brought on as the new head coach and tasked with picking up the pieces. That's no easy task under the best of circumstances, and he is certainly not operating in the best of circumstances.
The Kings are looking at a rebuild with incredibly limited options. They are stuck with some big money contracts that will prevent them from making the necessary moves. Unless they can make a few trades, the Kings won't be making any major roster changes for a season or two.
Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan both have one year left on their contracts. If everything stays as is, they'll be free agents in 2027. Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk, and Dennis Schroder will all be free agents in 2028. Those players represent five of the biggest contracts on the Kings' payroll.
Doug Christie makes things clear
Despite that, Christie remains resolute in the face of Sacramento's critics. He knows that the team is in for a tough couple of seasons and is ready to keep fighting as they do what they can to rebuild in the meantime. That's the type of leadership the team needs to push forward.
There was real fire in Christie's words. He made his points, took no questions, and headed out to get to work. Fans need to see their head coach in that kind of headspace to be able to stay behind the team. He gets where they're coming from, which means something to them.
Yet, there have been more than a few questionable decisions. Despite needing a stronger defense, the team continues to leave Keon Ellis on the bench. Russell Westbrook, the hottest guy on the team, isn't starting. Fire in a coach is good, but fans need to see better on the court.
Eventually, the front office will be able to make the necessary moves. The question will be if Christie is still around to benefit from them. When things aren't going right in the NBA, it's usually the coach or general manager who takes the hit. If he can keep it together in tough times, he'll hang around.