David Adelman has shaken himself free of the “interim” label.
The Nuggets are hiring Adelman to replace Michael Malone full-time as their head coach, a team source told The Denver Post. Adelman, 44, has been on the coaching staff since 2017 and took over the interim position with three games left in the 2024-25 regular season after Malone was fired.
Denver won those last three games, prevailed in a first-round playoff series, then pushed the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games under Adelman’s impromptu leadership. Multiple starters shared their hope that he would get the full-time job after the team’s season-ending loss.