Doug Christie enters the new NBA season with a harsh label hanging over him: CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn ranked the Sacramento Kings coach 30th out of 30, putting him behind even first-time head coaches Sean Sweeney and Dusty May.
Quinn’s list weighed a mix of categories - track record, performance against expectations, points of emphasis, creativity, player development, rotation management and people management - and Christie didn’t fare well in most of them. That result says plenty about how rocky Sacramento’s last stretch has been, even if part of Christie’s case is tied to circumstances that were out of his control.
His run began in an abrupt spot. Sacramento fired Mike Brown on Dec. 27, 2024, after a 13-18 start, and Christie stepped in as the interim coach. From there, the Kings responded with a 27-24 finish, even after the team traded De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team deal that brought Zach LaVine in from the Chicago Bulls.
But the feel-good push didn’t carry all the way into a playoff berth. Sacramento missed the postseason for a second straight year, and the offseason that followed was quiet. The only free-agent move was bringing back Doug McDermott on a one-year, $3.6 million deal.
The roster issues showed up early and often last season. The Kings opened 8-25 before the new year, and Domantas Sabonis and LaVine couldn’t consistently lift the group night after night. Christie also couldn’t get the full value out of his talent, and the situation got worse when his star needed season-ending surgery in February.
That forced Christie into a different kind of lineup management, one that gave the rookies major minutes and, in turn, accelerated their development. Maxime Raynaud’s second-half surge earned him Western Conference Rookie of the Month in March and All-Rookie Second Team honors.
That growth is the one clear point in Christie’s favor under Quinn’s evaluation, though even that came from a roster hit by injury rather than a clean developmental plan. Now Christie faces a tougher balance: develop the rookies, lean on the veterans and still win enough games to stay out of trouble.
It’s a demanding assignment for a second-year coach. The Kings own their first-round pick next offseason, and under the new lottery reform rules, finishing with the fourth- through 10th-worst record improves their chances of landing a lottery pick. Christie will need a strong season to climb out of the basement in these rankings and make a serious case for a new extension.
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Kings Final Two-Way Choice Says Plenty About Their Roster Priorities
After weighing their preseason options, the Kings have turned their final two-way spot over to Leaky Black, waiving Isaiah Stevens in the process. Black, an undrafted 2023 forward who previously held a two-way deal with Washington, earned the look with a preseason showing that highlighted the kind of support skills Sacramento clearly values: defense, three-point shooting and rebounding.
The move also says plenty about where the roster is headed at the margins. With Black joining Adam Flagler and Jonathan Mogbo on two-way contracts, the Kings have filled all three of those slots with players who bring different complementary pieces, and Blacks arrival suggests the team is still sorting out which young role players can provide the most immediate help as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Just Gave Fans A New Defense First Name To Watch
The Kings have added another name to the roster mix, converting forward Leaky Blacks Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way deal. Sacramento had an open two-way spot to work with, so the move comes without any corresponding roster shuffle, and it gives the club a closer look at a player who has already logged NBA time with the Hornets and Wizards.
Black has also made a case for himself with the Kings in preseason and in the G League, where his defensive versatility has stood out enough to keep him in the conversation. For a team still sorting through the edges of its roster, the move gives Sacramento a low-risk way to keep evaluating a wing who fits the kind of depth every contender eventually needs. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Mogbo Is Forcing His Way Into A Real Kings Debate
Jonathan Mogbo has spent the preseason turning a two-way deal into something much more interesting for Sacramento. The 24-year-old forward has stood out in three appearances, using his length and athleticism to affect both ends of the floor while putting together a line that has caught the eye of the coaching staff.
For a Kings team still sorting out its regular-season rotation, that kind of early momentum matters. Injuries have left room for someone to push into the conversation, and Mogbo has done enough to make his case for minutes before the games start to count, even if the final answer is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]