former Los angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni (Photo : Reuters)
The Denver Nuggets coaching saga remained unmoving since the team fired Brian Shaw in March. Latest buzzes indicate that three big names are vying for the spot, namely Mike D'Antoni, Mike Malone, and interim coach Melvin Hunt.
Former Los Angeles Lakers head honcho D'Antoni seems to be a perfect fit to the Nuggets' running game. That is if the team keeps starting point guard Ty Lawson and rebounding demon Kenneth Faried in the roster, which would be highly unlikely. Since last month, rumors abound that the two superstars are on their way out of the team.
Nuggets GM Tim Connelly had already sat down with D'Antoni for the head coaching job, but still no reports are out regarding the result of their meeting in California, Yahoo Sports reported.
Another name that has been floating around is former Sacramento Kings' head coach Michael Malone.
Malone, who served as head coach of the Kings for two seasons from 2013 to 2015, is known for his more defensive approach and relies more on set-up plays than a running game. This is in stark contrast to what D'Antoni can offer and seems to be not playing to the strengths of the current roster.
Speculations arise that this must be the reason why the Nuggets' management are trying to rebuild the roster from scratch, which is to fit a more defensive, deliberate, and slower-paced game that Malone is a master of.
Finally, no one can discount the potential of interim coach Hunt. Even former Nuggets' floor general Chauncey Billups is recommending him for the job. In his short stint as acting coach, Hunt was able to rally the players together for a final playoff push but eventually fell short. Amidst the internal turmoil, the former Lakers, Cavaliers, and Rockets assistant showed that he can suitably lead his players and communicate properly with them as well.
Malone is up for a second interview, ESPN reported, and it looks like Denver will reveal the winner of the three-way carousel much sooner than expected.
