“Sometimes Change Is Just Good”: DeMar DeRozan Explains What Helped Doug Christie Turn Around the Kings’ Season

The Sacramento Kings could be due for another shakeup amid trade rumors surrounding De’Aaron Fox, but it’s clear the Kings’ earlier change this season was for the better. Sacramento parted ways with former head coach Mike Brown on December 28 after the team dropped to 13-18 following a disastrous loss to the Detroit Pistons. The team selected former Kings guard Doug Christie as his replacement, and the 54-year-old has done an admirable job thus far.

On the Run It Back podcast, DeMar DeRozan was asked about Sacramento’s recent turnaround, as the team has gone 11-4 under Christie’s tutelage. DeRozan acknowledged this was a unique situation for him, as the 16-year veteran had never had a coach fired mid-season before. However, the 35-year-old emphasized that the team and city rallied together after Brown’s dismissal. DeRozan said everyone was frustrated and wanted to figure out how to resolve the team’s current predicament.

Lou Williams then asked DeRozan what Christie brought to the table as a coach compared to Brown. The veteran forward responded,

“Sometimes change is just good. I think, for us, it was just needed for a new breath of life in a sense.” 

DeRozan talked about spending time with Christie last summer after he signed with the Kings and how this strengthened their relationship before Christie ever became head coach.

“Sometimes change is good.”@DeMar_DeRozan speaks on the Kings’ season turning around since Doug Christie took over for Mike Brown, experiencing a midseason head coach firing for the first time in his NBA career, and the changes that Christie made in Sacramento. pic.twitter.com/bilblnbt5H

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 30, 2025

DeRozan believes Christie’s experience as a former player has helped him connect with the team. The six-time All-Star often picked Christie’s brain when the two worked out together. DeRozan emphasized how his head coach’s close-knit relationship with all his players has gone a long way in turning the Kings’ season around.

Sacramento has climbed back into playoff contention under Christie

While DeRozan seemingly didn’t want to go too deep into the Kings’ improvement in respect for Brown, the results speak for themselves. Sacramento struggled to even play .500 basketball throughout Brown’s 31 games this season, nearly falling out of the postseason race before the season hit its halfway mark. However, Christie has convincingly reignited the team during his short tenure, as the Kings now sit at a much more respectable 24-23.

The two biggest improvements for Sacramento under Christie have been their improved pace and ability to close out games. The team has carried a top 10 offensive pace since the coaching change, which has allowed the roster to play to their strengths more. Sacramento now sits 10th in the Western Conference, just good enough to cling to a Play-In spot. With the way the team is playing now, the Kings could find themselves fighting for a legitimate playoff spot by season’s end.