Nuggets Coach Adelman Emphasizes Fitness and New Ideas

⁣ Updated May 28,⁢ 2025

Denver Nuggets’ new head coach David adelman is prioritizing improved fitness and a willingness to embrace new ideas as ⁣crucial elements for ⁣the team’s future success. addressing players like Jamal Murray and julian Strawther, Adelman conveyed his expectations ‍for the ⁣upcoming training⁤ camp.

Adelman, promoted from interim coach​ after the Nuggets’ postseason run, acknowledged ⁣the increasingly competitive ⁤Western Conference. He emphasized the need for the team, led by Nikola jokic, to adapt and evolve. Adelman wants players to actively contribute ​their insights, fostering a collaborative environment.

“New ideas‍ are good ideas,” Adelman said, highlighting his commitment to⁤ innovation. “I ‌have to ‍give them something to come back to that ⁢excites them.”

Having learned from coaching mentors such as his father, Rick Adelman, and the late Flip Saunders, Adelman feels prepared for the head coaching role. He believes fitness will be essential for​ a strong start and sustained health throughout the season, especially come playoff ​time.

One key area the Nuggets are targeting this‌ offseason is improving team depth. their⁢ lack of depth⁢ was ‌exposed in the ⁤series against the Oklahoma city thunder, following a demanding seven-game series against the Los ⁣Angeles Clippers.

Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke‍ Sports & Entertainment, stated the⁢ need to evaluate how to elevate the team’s potential, both internally and externally. He ​noted that with some adjustments ‍and luck, the Nuggets could once ⁤again contend for a⁤ championship.

Kroenke previously surprised ⁣the league by firing⁣ coach Michael Malone‍ and General Manager Calvin Booth after their 2023 NBA title win, aiming to inject ‌new energy into the team. Ben Tenzer is currently serving as interim GM, and Adelman will ⁢be involved in the selection process for a‌ permanent replacement.

Regarding the GM search, Kroenke said, “The ⁣input will be relatively‌ minimal, becuase what I’ll be looking for is cohesion between those two.”

Adelman added, “This business‌ is about​ cohesion. It’s all about just ‌moving forward and winning. That’s it. It’s not about finding your⁣ best friend.”

With no picks in the upcoming‍ NBA draft, the Nuggets will rely on internal enhancement from young players like​ Strawther, Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett, and DaRon Holmes II to ⁢complement their‌ core players: Jokic, Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael⁢ Porter ​Jr., and Christian Braun.

“We’re hungry ⁢to get better,” Strawther said. “It’s all fuel to the fire.”

Adelman plans to introduce some tactical adjustments while ‌maintaining a strong defensive foundation.He emphasized the importance of execution and‍ efficiency,‌ even if it means sacrificing pace.

“We ⁣have to get back to being an ‌execution-based⁤ team,” Adelman said. “If that takes ​away some of⁢ our pace‍ numbers, or whatever the analytics want to say, I think ‌that’s OK‍ if it wins you a game in May, as opposed ⁤to ⁢playing a game in December.”

He​ concluded, “The majority of the time, if you want‍ to win big, you’ve got to play slow. You’ve got to be efficient. You’ve got to be clean. So⁣ that will ​be things we’ll talk about throughout ​the summer, going to training camp.”

What’s next

The ⁣Nuggets will focus on player progress and ‌potential roster ​adjustments during the⁢ offseason, aiming to improve ‍their ‌chances for a deeper ‌playoff run‍ next season. The emphasis‌ on fitness ‌and⁣ strategic flexibility will be key to their approach.