The Sacramento Kings have what sometimes feels like an almost insurmountable number of issues that need to be fixed on some level. That includes their abysmal three-point shooting. The problem is that head coach Doug Christie doesn't seem to be as focused on it as he should be.
No one was shocked by Sacramento taking on a full rebuild of the roster. What did shock people was the fact that it took this long to get around to doing it. They've needed a rebuild for at least 15 years. A big part of why that didn't happen was micromanaging co-owner Vivek Ranadive.
To lead this rebuild on the court, the Kings have chosen to go with Christie as their head coach. Now in his second season, his first go-around wasn't exactly positive. The team finished with a record of 22 wins and 60 losses. To be fair, he had an unbalanced roster and dealt with a lot of injuries.
Christie's stated focus has been the defense, and that's most definitely a good thing. The Kings have lacked any kind of defensive identity for years. And it's hard for a team to be a success in any sport without the foundation of a good defense. The other side of that is it can't be the only thing.
Being laser focused on one issue isn't good
While Sacramento does need a defensive identity, the team also needs an offensive identity. That means making sure a lot of different parts are moving in the right direction, which includes three-point shooting. So far, Christie doesn't seem concerned enough about it.
Preseason game one saw the Kings shoot 17.4% from three, then 27.8% in game two, and 33.3% in game three. That is improvement, though it is worth noting that the Kings shot 10 of 36 in game two and 10 of 30 in game three. They hit the same number, but just took fewer shots. Things looked better in game four, as they hit 13 of 38 for an average of 34.2%. It's progress.
In 2025-2026, the league average for three-point shots taken was 37, with sunk threes sitting at 13.7. That's an average of 36%. In that same season, the Kings averaged 34.8 attempts per game while making 11.8 of them. That puts their 2025-2026 average at 34%.
The difference cost the Kings an average of six points per game. That's a huge deal considering Sacramento was losing games by an average of 10 points last season. It's a gap the Kings desperately need to close if they want to be relevant. And maybe they're finally starting to.
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