Nuggets coach David Adelman earns praise, backing from players - ESPN

OKLAHOMA CITY — In the immediate aftermath of the Denver Nuggets' season ending, team governor Josh Kroenke declined to directly address the franchise's head coaching vacancy.

But Kroenke, who made the decision to fire longtime coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with three games remaining in the regular season, expressed enthusiastic appreciation for the team's response under the leadership of interim coach David Adelman.

«Outside of the championship, this is the most proud I've been because these guys have really rallied,» Kroenke told ESPN in the Nuggets' locker room after Sunday's 125-93 loss to the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

Adelman is considered a strong candidate to have the interim tag removed and become the Nuggets' head coach on a permanent basis, according to league and team sources.

Adelman, who turned 44 on Thursday, had developed good relationships with Denver's core players during his eight seasons as a Nuggets assistant coach before Malone was fired in April. He built a case to become Malone's permanent replacement by coaching the Nuggets to victories in the final three games of the regular season to claim the Western Conference's No. 4 seed and a seven-game first-round victory over the LA Clippers before pushing the 68-win Thunder to seven games.

«I love DA,» said Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon, one of four starters remaining from Denver's 2022-23 championship team. «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. DA's great. He was excellent for us, and I hope that he's here next year.»

Adelman declined to discuss the prospect of becoming the Nuggets' next head coach, saying it