The Denver Nuggets surprisingly decided to change head coaches towards the end of the 2024-25 NBA season.
For 10 seasons, Michael Malone carried out the duties as the Denver Nuggets‘ head coach while also leading them to the 2023 NBA Championship.
However, the Nuggets’ top brass decided to fire coach Malone just three games before the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
David Adelman was named as Malone’s successor, and the 2025-26 season will be his first year as permanent head coach of the team.
David Adelman’s NBA coaching experience
With a superstar like Nikola Jokic in the prime of his career, the Nuggets need to stay in win-now mode even after lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2023.
Considering Jokic had a long-term relationship with coach Malone, replacing him with Adelman was initially viewed as a questionable decision.
However, so far, Adelman has proven himself a worthy successor. For starters, he had a perfect 3-0 record during the regular season.
He followed it up by helping the Nuggets reach the Western Conference Semifinals, albeit losing in seven games at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite that, the Nuggets named him as their next head coach.
A key reason behind this must be Adelman’s wealth of experience as an assistant coach. After all, he fulfilled that role for eight seasons in Denver.
Prior to that, Adelman also had stints as an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves.
David Adelman is ready to win the 2026 NBA Championship with Denver Nuggets
The upcoming season will be key for Adelman’s coaching career, and he is seemingly aware of that. Coach Adelman’s team has already poached Jared Dudley from the Dallas Mavericks.
While Dudley is expected to be a key addition, Adelman has shown immense confidence in his abilities to lead the team to glory.
Adelman is already plotting for the 2026 NBA title as he wants a fast start from his team. All signs point to a terrific run next season.
Sure, as a first-time head coach, he made a few mistakes in the postseason, but if he can rectify them, the Nuggets could very well be among the top contenders to win the 2026 title.
