Nuggets Hiring David Adelman As Next Coach After Endorsement From Players

So the Nuggets are finalizing a deal to make Adelman the next full-time coach, per Shams Charania of ESPN.

Adelman was named interim coach with less than a week remaining in the regular season, when the Nuggets fired GM Calvin Booth and coach Michael Malone — who guided the franchise to its lone NBA championship in 2023.

Denver promptly survived a first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the second round.

Along the way, Adelman received strong support from star center Nikola Jokic and others.

“I love (David Adelman),” forward Aaron Gordon told reporters. “I hope he’s here next year. I hope he’s our next coach. I hope he gets an entire training camp and a whole offseason to figure out his philosophy.”

Meanwhile, Jokic said that Adelman “changed energy” and “made us believe something.”

Adelman is the son of former NBA coach Rick Adelman, who once led the Portland Trail Blazers to two Finals appearances in three years.

The younger Adelman joined the Nuggets as an assistant in 2017 after stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic. He didn’t exactly make a pitch for himself after the Nuggets’ Game 7 loss to the Thunder.

“Decision-makers will make that decision,” he said. “Obviously blessed to have this opportunity. If I’m not back next year, I’ll never forget this. It’s been an incredible experience.”

And now, it seems, this experience shall march on for Adelman and the Nuggets, together.