The Nuggets, the only NBA team without a coach in place for the 2015-16 NBA season, are doing their due diligence before committing to a hire. After interviewing Mike D'Antoni, they've also had a meeting with former Kings coach Mike Malone on Tuesday, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. Interim coach Melvin Hunt is also in the running.
Nuggets interview former Kings coach Mike Malone for head job
The Nuggets’ search for a coach is all over the place.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The curious thing about the Nuggets’ hiring process is they have interviewed two coaches with opposite philosophies. D’Antoni preaches pace and space on offense while struggling to get his teams to play defense, whereas Malone is a defensive-minded coach who prefers to play slow and through the post. In fact, Malone was fired at least in part because he refused to play the faster, more three-point oriented style D’Antoni popularized.
The Nuggets tried a coach with a similar style to Malone's in Brian Shaw and it backfired spectacularly, with the players turning on him. Malone has a better track record getting his guys to play defense, but Denver's roster seems better-suited to play fast since it was largely built for George Karl's system. D'Antoni makes a lot more sense because he would have everyone playing to their strengths instead of trying to turn Kenneth Faried into a traditional post scorer.
The fact that Malone and Mike Woodson (via the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn) are appearing as possibilities is likely a signal that the front office is looking to blow the roster up. There's no need to worry about fit when it comes to players who are going to be shipped out. If Hunt keeps the job permanently or D'Antoni is hired, that likely means Denver won't make any huge personnel changes.
Or, the front office, which has been criticized for being inexperienced and lacking savvy after Tim Connelly took over for Masai Ujiri, could simply have no idea what direction it wants to go yet.
The truth is the roster needs changes anyway and no coach will turn the Nuggets into a playoff team on his own. Not in the West, at least. There have been rumors about Ty Lawson potentially being on the block and there are few players on the books past next year. Denver has the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, so it might be time to get younger and rebuild. Whoever gets the job will have to be patient, but could in a couple of years have a very interesting roster at his disposal.
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