Point guard Dennis Schroder is in the midst of a three-game suspension for trying to jump Luka Doncic after the Sacramento Kings' December 28 game against the Lakers. But Kings' head coach Doug Christie is behind Schroder all the way, and loves the intensity he brings to the game.
Doug Christie said Dennis Schroder's personality, his willingness to talk mess and bring the same attitude/approach to each game regardless of the record or score is the standard.
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) January 12, 2026
Pretty clear, he doesn't have an issue at all with Dennis confronting Luka.
When Sacramento brought Schroder in, their intention was to play him as the starting point guard. They traded Tyrese Haliburton away a couple of years earlier, then followed that up in early 2025 by sending De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs. This left the Kings without a starter at the one.
They traded for Schroder in the offseason, encouraged by his MVP-caliber play in the EuroBasket tournament. Dennis has always been at his best in the world of FIBA. The NBA has been another story. He makes great trade fodder but isn't someone a team can build around.
The Kings worked that one out a few games into the season. Sacramento finally put Russell Westbrook in as the starting point guard and moved Schroder to the bench. While Sacramento is still awful, the move has definitely worked out better for everyone involved.
Doug Christie supports Dennis Schroder and his intensity on the court
As a general rule, Schroder has been a relatively reliable scorer, playmaker, and defender off the bench. That's a big part of the reason why Doug Christie seems to like having Schroder around. He's a solid member of the second unit, though he definitely has his share of off games.
“Dennis rides with us, period.” -Doug Christie on Dennis Schroder’s toughness and suspension
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) January 12, 2026
More than that, Christie really seems to appreciate the drive and attitude Schroder brings every night. What's cool about Schroder is that it's there regardless of how the game is going. He's got the same level of intensity when the Kings are getting blown out as he does when they're winning.
When talking about what Schroder does on the court, that is perfectly fine. Talking trash and getting chippy isn't a bad thing. Tracking down opponents after the game is taking things a little too far. No one expects all these guys to be friends, but what happens on the court needs to stay there.
Luka Doncic was trying to get under Schroder's skin, and it obviously worked. Christie is right to celebrate and support Dennis's on-court intensity. At the same time, he hopefully isn't encouraging his players to go vigilante on a member of the opposing team. That's not a good look for the Kings.