The Denver Nuggets have appointed David Adelman as their permanent head coach following a successful playoff run as interim coach. Adelman took over after the firing of Michael Malone in early April, with just three games left in the regular season. Under his leadership, the Nuggets won those final games and advanced to the conference semifinals, where they lost in Game 7 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Adelman, 44, joined the Nuggets as an assistant in 2017 and has now been promoted to head coach. He is the son of longtime NBA coach Rick Adelman. Before his tenure with the Nuggets, Adelman worked with the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Nuggets vice chairman Josh Kroenke highlighted Adelman’s deep understanding of the team and his strong relationships with the players as key factors in the decision. “He understands their tendencies as players but I think equally as important now … is he knows them as people, what makes them tick,” Kroenke said.
The decision to fire Malone and general manager Calvin Booth late in the season was surprising, given the team’s strong standing and recent championship win. With the coaching position now filled, the Nuggets will focus on finding a new general manager.