The Sacramento Kings are sitting at a brutal 0-5 to start the season, rocking a bottom-five offense and defense, plus the second-worst net rating in the entire league at -15.7. You’d think that means coach Doug Christie is on thin ice, right? About to get the boot? Not even a little bit, according to Sam Amick over at The Athletic. Apparently, there’s a strong internal belief that Christie deserves a fair shot, especially with how battered the Kings’ roster is right now.
Injuries Pile Up, But So Do Seasons
Look, injuries are hitting them hard. Keegan Murray’s out with an ankle issue, a lingering problem from surgery back in May. Then you’ve got Ben Simmons, who’s done for the season with a torn right Achilles. Backup center Maxime Raynaud is out with a knee problem, and Dylan Cardwell has a calf issue. Anyone can see that’s a tough hand to play, and it absolutely impacts the team’s ability to compete.
But this isn’t Christie’s first rodeo either, is it? He’s coached 138 Kings games across three seasons. At some point, you gotta know what you’re working with, regardless of who’s on the injured list. This isn’t a new coach finding his footing; he’s been at this for a while now.
Young Talent Emerges Amidst Owner Loyalty
It definitely helps when the owner, Vivek Ranadive, and his family are reportedly big fans of yours. That kind of internal support can buy a lot of time, even when the win column is looking bleak. The reality is, this roster was never going to win a ton of games this season anyway, so the expectations might have been lower from the jump.
The big question now: can Christie actually develop the young talent on this squad, guys like Darius Acuff Jr.? Acuff just dropped an insane 34 points and 14 dimes in a loss Thursday! That puts him in super exclusive company, only the fourth teenager ever to get 30 points and 10 assists in an NBA game, right up there with LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Stephon Marbury. He’s also the first Kings rookie since Kenny Smith back in 1988 to put up 30 and 10, and he tied Tyreke Evans’ 2010 mark for a Kings rookie scoring performance. Dude’s got serious skills, no doubt. But the efficiency? A rough 37.4% from the field on the season. That’s a huge red flag, no matter how shiny the box score looks.
So, is Christie building a culture that’ll maximize this squad when they finally add more talent and improve the roster? Has that happened yet? That’s the real test, and by all accounts, he’s gonna get a long leash to prove he can do it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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