Doug Christie Earns Less Than Blazers' Chauncey Billups Hire
The Kings' head coach reportedly makes less than Portland's new hire despite Sacramento's playoff push, as reporter Tim MacMahon expects another rough season ahead.
Christie took over in Sacramento midway through the 2024/25 season, replacing Mike Brown, and has kept the job since despite no real improvement on the floor. The Kings reached the play-offs in 2023 for the first time since 2006, but have not gone further, missing the postseason three times since and finishing last season on 22 wins.
Nori arrives at Portland for 2026/27 after being passed over elsewhere. The Trail Blazers' owner had set out to keep the head coach's salary as low as possible, and the coaches' association has already branded the deal "insulting".
MacMahon expects the ball to go to Sacramento's lottery pick this season. He rates the rookie, Eyoab Eyakaff, as talented, but is wary of reading too much into a poor Summer League showing, and still expects the Kings to finish as the worst team in the Western Conference.
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