The Orlando Magic have found their new head coach in Scott Skiles.
The Chicago Bulls have found their Tom Thibodeau replacement in Fred Hoiberg.
The New Orleans Pelicans have found their next head honcho in Alvin Gentry.
It’s now the Denver Nuggets’ turn.
Names are being churned out of Denver’s rumor mill like crazy as the Nuggets ramp up their search for a new sideline stalker. The latest has them bringing back former Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Malone for a second interview, though plenty of other clipboard sages remain in play.
Here’s ESPN.com’s Marc Stein with the lowdown:
Former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Malone has secured a second interview for the Denver Nuggets’ coach vacancy, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that Malone, who had his first interview with the Nuggets last week before the start of the NBA Finals, has solidified himself as a top candidate for the job alongside Nuggets interim coach Melvin Hunt.
It remains to be seen whether former Suns, Knicks and Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni will likewise get a second interview for the post after sitting down with Nuggets officials last week as well.
ESPN.com reported last month that the chances of Hunt retaining the job full time have improved in recent weeks. Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried are among the veterans in Denver wbo have publicly lobbied for Hunt to fill the post permanently.
Malone would make for an odd fit in Denver. The Nuggets are built to push the pace and it’s a refusal to turn the Kings into a running and gunning machine that left Malone begging for a new job in the first place. He emphasizes defense and post-ups, two areas in which the Nuggets aren’t built to excel. Hiring him to implement a gameplan Denver cannot ostensibly execute would have a Brian Shaw-type feel to it.
That Hunt is conceivably the favorite to enter next season as head coach speaks volumes. The Nuggets were far better with him on the sidelines, resembling the high-octane machine that former coach George Karl steered toward 57 wins in 2012-13.
Still, D’Antoni remains an interesting candidate, even though it’s unclear whether he’ll get a second crack at interviewing for the position. His offensive system is proven and, most importantly, perfect for how the Nuggets want to play. Hunt has a couple months of success under his belt, but it’s Magic Mike who helped reinvent NBA offenses everywhere.
Bank on one of Malone or D’Antoni getting the nod in the end. Both make way more sense for this Nuggets squad than Malone ever could.
