DENVER — Denver Nuggets president and governor Josh Kroenke publicly backed head coach David Adelman on Friday, days after the team’s first-round playoff exit, while warning that significant roster changes could follow.
Speaking at Ball Arena on May 8, Kroenke said he retains “full faith” in Adelman, calling the coach’s 2025-26 performance “a hell of a season, all things considered.” The Nuggets finished third in the Western Conference at 54-38, rode a 12-game winning streak into the postseason and then fell in six games to the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kroenke emphasized that, aside from three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, no player is untouchable as the franchise tries to maximize its championship window. All-Star guard Jamal Murray is viewed as the club’s most valuable trade asset if Denver opts for a major overhaul.
Injuries cloud season and future plans
Injuries dominated the Nuggets’ year: Aaron Gordon (calf) missed most of the Minnesota series, Peyton Watson (hamstring) sat out all six games, and the roster lost a combined 245 player games to injury across the regular season and playoffs. Kroenke said a fully healthy group could have reached 60 to 65 wins.
Financial pressure looms as well. Denver’s projected starting five is set to earn more than $184 million next season once extensions for Christian Braun and Gordon begin. Braun’s injury-filled campaign and lucrative deal complicate efforts to re-sign Watson, who could command $20 million per year. Executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer reiterated the organization’s desire to keep Watson long-term.
Front-office shifts and previous moves
Adelman, who replaced Michael Malone late last season, guided Denver past the LA Clippers in Round 1 a year ago before a seven-game loss to Oklahoma City. After that postseason, Kroenke split former general manager Calvin Booth’s duties between Tenzer and executive vice president of player personnel Jonathan Wallace. The pair traded Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson and added veterans Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. to bolster depth.
Jokić extension on horizon
Jokić is eligible this summer for a four-year maximum extension projected at up to $290 million, and he has indicated he intends to sign the deal. Denver went 10-6 during an early-season stretch without Jokić, a span Kroenke cited as proof of Adelman’s coaching acumen.
“Everything has to be on the table, including running it back,” Kroenke said. “But I really do believe in the group of people that were assembled in there this year.”
Source: ESPN.com
