The Nuggets may not be done adding this offseason, and the next move could come on the bench rather than the floor.
Denver has already brought in Marvin Bagley III, Trevon Brazile and Alpha Diallo, and it also brought back Tyus Jones. Even with those additions, the roster still has three open spots.
But the team’s attention isn’t limited to player moves. The Nuggets are also looking at their coaching staff, with a possible addition aimed at giving David Adelman some help.
Marc Stein reported through The Stein Line that Denver is still searching for an assistant coach to support Adelman, and that the lead candidate is former Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings head coach Dave Joerger. Joerger spent 2025-26 as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“Denver is seen as an increasingly likely landing spot for former Grizzlies and Kings coach Dave Joerger.”
“The Stein Line first reported in late June that Joerger had interviewed with the Nuggets in their search for a more experienced top assistant to head coach David Adelman,” Stein said.
At this point, the Nuggets appear to be looking to add to the staff rather than replace anyone on it. Still, the possibility of Joerger joining the mix would bring a veteran voice into Adelman’s orbit, and that matters after a postseason that exposed plenty of rough edges.
Adelman handled a season full of injuries well enough to get Denver to 54 wins and a third-place finish in the Western Conference. But the playoffs told a different story. Some of his decisions were hard to miss, including the choice not to have anyone answer Jaden McDaniels after he singled out the Nuggets by name as bad defenders.
The adjustments never really came against the Timberwolves, either. Adelman also kept an injured Christian Braun on the floor instead of turning to a healthy Julian Strawther.
For a first-year head coach, a seasoned assistant like Joerger could offer exactly what Denver seems to need: another experienced set of eyes, and maybe a stronger voice in the room. That kind of presence could help Adelman, and it could help a team that seemed to lose some of its edge after Michael Malone was replaced.
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One of the more intriguing ideas floating around involves a sign-and-trade framework rather than a simple swap, which would mean more moving parts than a clean deal between two teams. The appeal is obvious from Denvers side: a proven perimeter threat could ease some of the spacing pressure around Jokic, but any path there would likely require additional players and draft assets to make the math work. [Read more 🡒]