The Sacramento Kings recently announced that Doug Christie will be back next year, but he has been promoted to the permanent head coach of the team. That is obviously a huge choice for the team, but is it the right one?
We all know that the Kings have had a troubled history with their head coaches, but they seem confident about Christie. A new statement from one of their up-and-coming stars proves that they should be.
Christie has the support of his players, and that means something
While speaking with Basketball Insiders, Jake LaRavia had nothing but great things to say about Christie. In fact, he revealed that the full-time hiring of Christie is one of the reasons why he wants to return to Sacramento next season and beyond.
This is exactly the sort of thing that the Kings' front office wants to hear.
When a coach loses the support of the locker room, they almost always lose their job. We have heard about this so many times before. Sure enough, when Mike Brown was let go early in the season, stories popped up about him not connecting with his star players. It's simple: a coach has to have the respect and loyalty of his players.
So far, Christie is beloved by his Kings players. He will need that support moving forward. That's because the months ahead could be chaotic and complicated for the Kings. After yet another lackluster years and a disappointing end to the season, the team is at a crossroads.
This crossroads means they could swing for the fences in the summer. So, a new star could be coming on board, and if it does, Christie's strong support among current players will only help him bring extra talent into the fold.
More importantly, if the Kings do not pursue big changes in the summer, they might face a long rebuilding process. That can be disappointing and painful. Christie will face criticism and challenges, and he will need the solid backing of his players.
The road ahead might be very rocky for the Kings, and they will need some sort of stability, no matter which direction the team takes. In just a few short months, Christie has shown he can provide that. And this statement from LaRavia proves that he's having an impact on the Kings' roster.
There are many questions and concerns about the Kings and what's next, but at least they have hired a head coach who is loved by his players, and that's a good start.