Everything in Denver has been such a blur for the past week that it’s hard to tell what’s what. What we do know for sure is that we’re in a transition period with head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth being fired in a shocking twist last week.
These stunning moves have put everyone in the organization on notice and other than Nikola Jokic, it doesn’t feel like anyone’s job is truly safe going forward. That obviously applies to the players on the roster, but it’s also true of anyone working on the coaching staff or in the front office.
Head coach and GM are premium jobs and respected veterans are surely champing at the bit for an opportunity to come work with Jokic and a team that just won a championship two seasons ago.
But what if the Nuggets don’t need to conduct a coaching search this offseason at all? Maybe the next head coach of the team is already in the building and the firing of Michael Malone was a blessing in disguise as they’ll now get a look at rising star, David Adelman before having to make a massive decision for the franchise.
Leading Denver to win over Clippers could cement Adelman as HC
Adelman has been an assistant in Denver for eight years now and is a familiar face to everyone in the locker room. He has the support of the players and apparently, a great relationship with everyone he works with.
All you hear is praise for the 43-year-old Adelman who started his tenure by finishing the regular season 3-0 to help the Nuggets secure the fourth seed in the Western Conference. The players have a great energy about them and it seems like the vibes have immediately shifted.
Also, it’s not like the team is entering a complete rebuild; they still have the same core players and championship aspirations. Malone clearly lost the locker room, but keeping some continuity and a guy who already knows this team as well as anyone may not be a bad thing.
On a recent episode of the Hoops Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst, Tim McMahon even stated that it’s his understanding that the players in the locker room want Adelman to get the full-time position and that if they beat the Clippers in round one, “there’s a high, high degree of likelihood that he will be the permanent head coach.”
It’s still the honeymoon phase with Adelman and the Nuggets don’t want to fall in love too quickly, but Adelman is no new kid on the block with all his experience as an assistant and, of course being the son of the legendary Hall of Fame coach, Rick Adelman.
David Adelman has gotten head coaching interest in the past and if he doesn’t get the Nuggets job, it’s only a matter of time until he gets one elsewhere. The Nuggets need to be watching with a very close eye during these playoffs, and if Adelman is the guy, they need to make sure not to let him get away.