Sources: Kings to retain Christie for next season

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Despite a 22-59 record that has them at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, the Sacramento Kings are retaining head coach Doug Christie for next season, team sources told ESPN on Sunday.

Christie initially stepped into the job in December of 2024, serving as the interim head coach after the Kings fired Mike Brown. New general manager Scott Perry took over franchise decision-making last summer and gave Christie the full-time job, signing him to a three-year deal.

Christie's first full season fell flat in the first month. Sacramento lost starting wing Keegan Murray in the preseason to a torn thumb ligament and starting center Domantas Sabonis in November to a partially torn meniscus. The Kings stumbled to a 3-13 start and spiraled into a 12-46 record.

Perry and Kings management believe Christie was never given a proper runway with the current roster, team sources said. Their projected starting lineup never played a minute together.

Sabonis was limited to 19 games before season-ending surgery. Veteran scorer Zach LaVine was limited to 39 games before season-ending surgery.

As the franchise has pivoted toward a youth movement, they've gone 10-13 in their previous 23 games and part of Sacramento's decision to retain Christie is about the positive development of rookie centers Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell and first-rounder Nique Clifford.

The batch of wins has come at a slight cost to their lottery odds. The Kings went from the league's worst record to the fourth worst, tied with the Utah Jazz at 22-59 entering the final day of the regular season.

The next big day for the franchise is lottery night on May 10 when they will find out exactly which top-8 selection they'll receive in a loaded draft.