Why Doug Christie Should Be the Next Kings Coach

Stale air.

Awful, stinky stale air.

You can see it.  You can taste it.

It's been like a thick layer of pollution hanging over Sleep Train Arena for the last decade and, most notably, over the past five seasons.

That's what it's like to be a Kings fan. You're trapped beneath a suffocating fog of despair.

You choke on every decision. You gag when you watch the team play defense. You feel your chest tighten every time DeMarcus Cousins goes full nut job.

And the worst part? There doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. 

The next four first-round picks are completely up in the air. Will they keep them? Will they need to swap them?

Their young players, except perhaps Willie Cauley-Stein, have been busts. Their veterans are of little value to a team that wants to compete for a playoff spot.

And their All-Star cornerstone - Cousins - has yet to prove he can behave well with others, much less figure out how to play a full game of basketball without making more anguished faces than a five-year-old waiting in an endless line at Disneyland.

But there's one thing they can do.

There's one thing that can instantly change the atmosphere, clear the air, and let the sun shine in.

Hire Doug Christie to coach the team. 

Yup, Doug Christie.

Forget the retreads like Scott Brooks and Mark Jackson. Not impressed. Seen 'em. Don't need to see them again.

Christie brings something the Kings and this city have been sorely missing for the past 10 years...

Joy.

And enthusiasm.

And a love of the game.

Oh, and by the way, he's very smart, too. I'm a believer after listening to him as a team analyst this year. 

Now I'm not usually a fan of bringing in someone with zero experience as a coach, but there's just something about Christie that makes me believe he's a winner. You can feel it - right through the TV screen. And if you can feel it through the TV screen, you better bet you can feel it in person.

Christie's a fighter, too. Just ask Rick Fox.

Is it a gamble? Maybe. 

But at this point, Kings fans just want to breathe fresh air again. And having a joyful warrior like Christie at the helm would instantly bring a brand new karma to the team.

So Mr. Ranadive, it's in your court. You pride yourself on thinking out of the box. 

This one is sitting on a box right in front of you.

Make the call.