Predicting Kings' Head Coach in 2026 - Is Doug Christie the Answer?

Will the Sacramento Kings make a head coaching change in 2026?

Nov 12, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Golden 1 Center. | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings ended 2025 with a crushing 41-point loss to the LA Clippers, and every fan is hoping that 2026 treats them much better than the past year has. Most notably, many believe that 2026 should be the year the Kings jumpstart their rebuild process, which could even include a change at head coach.

As the Kings enter the New Year, it begs the question: Who will be the franchise's head coach in 2026? Here are a few options.

Doug Christie

Dec 23, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie reacts after a play against the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Doug Christie was put in a challenging position when he took over as interim head coach last season after the franchise fired Mike Brown, but the former Kings All-Defensive guard made the most of the opportunity. In 51 games as interim, Christie led the Kings to a 27-24 record to secure a spot in the play-in tournament.

This season, however, has been much different. Christie and the Kings are just 8-25 through 33 games, but playing the NBA's toughest schedule and dealing with a slew of injuries have made things challenging.

All in all, things have not been in Christie's favor, and it is unclear whether his players still back him or not. Typically, when a team performs this poorly, the head coach is the first to go. It is likely that Christie will not be the Kings' head coach for all of 2026, as he might not even make it out of this season.

Mike Woodson

Mar 13, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson in the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In theory, Mike Woodson is the ideal associate head coach for Christie, as he has been in the sport as a player, including a year with the Kings, and as a coach for a long time. However, Woodson could get the opportunity to prove himself as Sacramento's head coach. At a minimum, with an interim tag.

Woodson got his first NBA head coaching gig with the Atlanta Hawks, where he led them to an underwhelming 206-286 record in six seasons. Woodson was then fired, but got another chance just two years later with the New York Knicks. Woodson had an improved 109-79 record in New York, but after getting fired in 2014, he has not been a head coach in this league since.

Before taking the associate head coaching job in Sacramento, Woodson spent the last four years as the coach at Indiana University, where he had four consecutive winning seasons and an overall 82-53 record. Sure, Woodson does not have the best NBA track record as a head coach, but this Kings team could benefit from having a veteran presence leading them rather than an inexperienced Christie.

Taylor Jenkins

Mar 10, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins looks on during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Taylor Jenkins was shockingly fired by the Memphis Grizzlies at the end of last season, and the 41-year-old has not gotten a new opportunity since. In six seasons in Memphis, Jenkins posted a 250-214 record, highlighted by consecutive years in 2021-22 and 2022-23 where he led the Grizzlies to second place in the West.

Even when he got fired, the Grizzlies had a 44-29 record with just nine games left in the season. It was certainly a shock, and the Kings could have been the team to capitalize on him hitting the market, but they opted to promote Christie instead.

Jenkins is the most accomplished head coach on this list, despite his limited experience and young age, and he should actually be their first call if the position opens up before next offseason.

Sam Cassell

Mar 17, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Sam Cassell looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. | Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

After a long and successful NBA playing career, Sam Cassell took the coaching route, but has not gotten a head coaching opportunity yet. Cassell has been a well-respected assistant coach for the past 17 years, and it seems like it is only a matter of time until he gets a head coaching gig.

The 53-year-old is currently a top assistant with the Boston Celtics, as he has been for the last three seasons. Being viewed as one of the top assistants in the league, especially with his experience, Cassell would be a seamless fit as a head coach. However, it is just a matter of whether the Kings want to take a chance on another coach with no other head coaching experience.

Prediction for 2026

If I had to make a final prediction on how 2026 is going to shake out for the Kings, I believe that the franchise will part ways with Christie before the end of the 2025-26 season, promoting Woodson to interim head coach. However, Woodson is not the long-term answer, especially as they likely enter a rebuild.

The optimal candidate is Jenkins, who would get the job in the 2026 offseason. If not Jenkins, however, the Kings should still look at external candidates to become their new head coach. All in all, it seems less likely that Christie is leading the Kings for all of 2026, but choosing his successor could get a bit tricky.