It's hard to predict what the Sacramento Kings are going to do. When many people thought they'd move Zach LaVine to another team, they kept him. When others thought they'd relentlessly pursue Jonathan Kuminga, they were timid and lackluster. You just never know what you're going to get with the Kings' front office.
Therefore, it's hard to tell what they'll do in 2025-26, especially after such a quiet summer. But there is a lot of speculation about head coach Doug Christie and his future with the team. Will he stay? Will he go? When should Christie be most nervous about his job?
A quiet trade deadline could be big trouble for Doug Christie
It looks like the Kings are going to start the season with the roster they have now. Yes, they may still take a run at Russell Westbrook, who may or may not even play in the league next season. But beyond Westbrook, it looks like the lineup is set. That means Christie and his staff are hard at work envisioning the next steps and what this season will look like.
This will be Christie's first full season as head coach in Sacramento. He was interim coach for most of 2024-25 and secured a 27-24 record during that time. While he did show some impressive skill, the team still fell short of their goals. Some people feel that Christie will have at least a couple seasons before he is in the hot seat but the Kings have previously shown no hesitation to firing coaches unexpectedly and even against the protest of fans.
This means that nothing is guaranteed for Doug Christie. And it turns out that Christie will be in danger when his front office is most quiet.
The trade deadline could be massively important for this Kings team. If Sacramento is struggling around that time, they'll be desperate to change. Most people assume that change would come in the form of trades for A-list All-Stars. But if the Kings are in bad shape and not trading away their players, Christie should be concerned.
If the Kings are doing poorly and they sit tight during the February trade deadline, it may be because they're contemplating letting Christie go. That wouldn't be certain, of course, but it would be their only other move aside from doing nothing. Doing nothing isn't out of the picture, of course, but it's more likely that the Kings do something to get back on track. If things are really rough, they could relieve Christie of his duties in February and then aim for roster adjustments in the summer.
Realistically, they could fire him at any point. In fact, former Kings and Nuggets coach Michael Malone learned that a job can be yanked away just days before the playoffs.
A lot will be on the line in the upcoming season and the Kings' management will be nervous if they're still struggling halfway through the year. Those nerves might lead to significant tweaks. If they decide to stick with the team they have through all of 2025-26 and still come up short, Christie should take notice because that might mean his days may be numbered.
Job security just does not exist in the NBA. Many people have found that out before and Doug Christie is hoping he doesn't learn it the hard way in 2025-26.