Job security goes a long way for Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie, who took over for Mike Brown on an interim basis last season before accepting the job officially ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Amid a busy week in which the Kings acquired De’Andre Hunter from the Cleveland Cavs in exchange for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, it’s challenging to assume a coach’s job is safe; everything feels in flux.
As part of a three-team trade with the Cavs and the Chicago Bulls, the Kings also sent Dario Saric to the Bulls. However, when a reporter asked Kings GM Scott Perry whether fans can expect coach Christie back next season, his response left no doubt, per The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson.
“I expect him to be my coach until I tell you anything different,” Perry said.
Perry’s reassurance that the Kings’ head coach, Doug Christie, would keep his job was far from a guarantee, as things can surely change between now and the end of the offseason. More than a few head coaches lose their jobs by the end of every NBA regular season. And while the Kings are on a 10-game losing streak, falling to 12-40 for the worst record in the association, Christie’s job could be on the line, depending on how things unfold.
Is Kings’ DeMar DeRozan a potential buyout candidate?
Given the direction his team is headed toward, fans wonder whether the Kings and DeMar DeRozan will reach a buyout before the end of the regular season. With $25.7 million on the books for next season, the chances of seeing DeRozan bought out of his contract are slim, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
“The Kings have no plan to buy out DeMar DeRozan if he’s still on the team after the trade deadline, per sources,” reported Slater on X, formerly Twitter. “DeRozan is owed $25.7 million next season, but only $10 million is guaranteed.”
The Kings will look to snap their 10-game winning streak when they host the Clippers on Friday.
