SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie indicated change is coming, saying the struggling team is facing a “bumpy” path and that the organization is “aligned in what we're doing.”
“Change is hard,” he said. “It’s hard. But understand — and we understand — that we’re not there yet. But we’re about to work at it like crazy. We will totally get there. And it will be bumpy. It will because change is like that. But buckle up. For the real ones, buckle up.”
Christie might have been responding to a report that the Kings were ready to begin a full rebuild and unload stars such as Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. He spoke for about 2 1/2 minutes prior to Tuesday's game against the Denver Nuggets.
Christie began by introducing himself as “Douglas Dale Christie” and then delivered his statement and ended it by smacking a table with both hands twice before walking away. He did not take any questions.
“When I see the hate, the haters, the fakers — all you guys, you keep that energy,” Christie said. “That's good. You keep that. And you know who you are because while you're doing that, we're gonna be working. And while you're doing that, we're gonna be growing. And while you do that, eventually, we're gonna be coming — the Kings Show. Sac proud, know that.”
The Kings were 3-7 entering Tuesday's game. Christie, who played for Sacramento in the early 2000s, is in his first full season as coach. He took over on an interim basis after serving as an assistant when Mike Brown was fired in December and was retained last spring.
“We're gonna get it right,” Christie said.
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