On December 27, 2024, the Kings parted ways with head coach Mike Brown and elevated assistant Doug Christie to interim head coach. The former Sacramento standout has held the position ever since.
With only seven games remaining in the regular season, it’s all but certain that Christie will retain the interim role through the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign. However, the franchise faces a crucial decision this summer regarding its long-term coaching direction.
For the cons, Bontemps points out that Sacramento’s small market and “decades of instability” remain significant challenges for the Kings organization. These issues could make the job less appealing to potential coaching candidates.
Despite these drawbacks, Bontemps believes the Kings could still secure a top-tier coach this offseason.
He suggests that the Kings might remove the interim tag from Doug Christie and promote him to head coach permanently. However, he also notes that the team has a history of hiring big-name coaches, including George Karl, Dave Joerger, Luke Walton, and Mike Brown. Given this trend, Bontemps predicts the Kings could pursue a more prominent coaching figure this summer.
One name that has gained traction among Kings fans is recently-fired Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, who guided the small-market Grizzlies to back-to-back 50-win seasons.
While Doug Christie has exceeded expectations as interim head coach, it’s clear from his performance that he may not be the best option to take the Kings to the next level. To truly become a competitive and serious franchise, Sacramento likely needs to hire a head coach with more experience. Bringing in someone like Taylor Jenkins, who has proven himself by leading the Memphis Grizzlies to back-to-back 50-win seasons, could be the right move to give the Kings the leadership and direction they need to contend at a higher level next season.