The Sacramento Kings have made it clear that there is no plan to replace Doug Christie as head coach during the season. While everyone would love to see Natalie Nakase take the reins, it seems more likely that a Christie replacement would be Tom Thibodeau. He's ready to go.
As it stands right now, the Kings are prioritizing stability at head coach over winning. Being that this franchise has been a revolving door in that role for two decades, that makes sense. Yet, it would be nice if the head coach they chose to stick with was actually capable of doing the job well.
For now, Christie isn't going anywhere, at least not during the season. When 2026-2027 is done, he has a team option in his contract that the Kings will hopefully use to get rid of him. The only way it makes sense to continue with Christie after this season is if everything makes a complete 180.
Since that's not going to happen, it may be time to start evaluating other options. Bringing in Nakase from the Golden State Valkyries is a dream scenario. She's an impressive bench boss who knows how to build a winning franchise. In reality, those are also the reasons Golden State won't let her go.
Thibs enters the conversation
Another good option at head coach who has been in the mix for Sacramento for a while now is Tom Thibodeau. While it was Mike Brown who got them over the finish line, Thibs played a major role in rebuilding the Knicks into the championship team they became. He could do the same for the Kings.
Thibodeau is incredibly disciplined with a deep understanding of player development and how to put the pieces together. He also has a huge amount of experience, having started as a basketball coach in 1981. Thibs remained a coach until his tenure with the Knicks came to an end after 2024-2025.
What the Kings need right now is someone who can get this team into shape and build strong fundamentals in their game. This will be especially important for the rookies and sophomores who are still figuring out how this league works. Thibodeau will hold every member of this team accountable.
Thibs isn't likely to coach the Kings to a championship. They are deep in a hole that will take years to get out of, and he's almost 70. He'll retire before Sacramento gets there. But he will build a foundation of self-respect and a strong work ethic in this franchise that they desperately need.
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