Doug Christie isn’t going anywhere. The Sacramento Kings removed Christie’s interim tag and named him as their head coach for next season and beyond in a multi-year deal that was first reported by ESPN on Tuesday.
The decision also marked the first major move of Scott Perry, the Kings’ newly hired general manager who replaced Monte McNair following their elimination from the play-in tournament.
The Sacramento Kings and interim coach Doug Christie are finalizing a multiyear contract to make Christie the franchise's next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Christie's agent, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, negotiated a new deal for the Kings' full-time job this week. pic.twitter.com/OKdBWxszVm
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 29, 2025
During his introductory presser, Perry said he was considering Christie among other options for the permanent head coaching job.
But his decision would take “a week or so” after meeting with Christie and other Kings staff members. He arrived at this decision in less than a week.
Kings Finished 27-24 Under Christie
Christie has enjoyed the support of Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and the players.
“What I can tell you is I spent time with Doug Christie already,” Perry said during his introductory presser last week. “I first met Doug Christie when he was a player at Toronto, so I admired him as a player, and his career. I’ve watched him this year from afar in terms of his ability to have a presence on the court.
“I think he’s made a connection with players. We’ve had a few conversations up to this point. He was one of the first people I met with yesterday when I got into town.”
Christie took over in an interim capacity after the Kings fired two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown in late December. Under his watch, the Kings went off to a hot 10-2 start and eventually finished 27-24.
Sacramento Added Zach LaVine, Traded De’Aaron Fox
The first-time coach guided the franchise in one of the most turbulent seasons of the franchise.
After Brown’s firing, the Kings’ longtime franchise star De’Aaron Fox forced a trade to San Antonio. In return, the Kings got two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, who was reunited with DeMar DeRozan – a pairing that didn’t work in Chicago.
Christie is a former Kings player who rejoined the organization as an assistant coach during the 2021-22 season. He has worked under former Kings head coaches Luke Walton, Alvin Gentry and the recently fired Brown before finally getting his major break.
The 54-year-old Christie played five of his 15 seasons in the NBA. The Kings made the playoffs, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2002, in each of Christie’s five seasons with the franchise as the starting shooting guard.
During that span, Christie was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2003 and to the All-Defensive Second Team thrice (2001, 2002 and 2004).