The Denver Nuggets are continuing their offseason overhaul by not renewing the contracts of assistant coaches Ryan Saunders, Popeye Jones, Charles Klask, and Stephen Graham.
According to a report by NBA insider Chris Haynes, the four coaches will depart when their contracts expire at the end of the month.
All four assistants were part of the coaching staff that helped deliver the franchise’s first NBA championship in 2023 under former head coach Michael Malone.
Their departure follows major leadership changes that began with Malone’s dismissal on April 8, after nine seasons in charge.
The Nuggets also opted not to renew general manager Calvin Booth’s contract, further signaling a shift in the team’s direction.
Denver has since named David Adelman as its full-time head coach for the 2025–26 season.
The coaching moves come after the Nuggets were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game series.
Saunders, Jones, Klask, and Graham were all credited with playing key roles in player development and game preparation during the team’s championship run and subsequent playoff appearances.
Saunders, the son of former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders, joined the Nuggets after previous head coaching experience with Minnesota.
Jones, a longtime NBA assistant, had worked with Malone across multiple stops, including in Denver and Indiana.
Klask and Graham also brought years of coaching and player development expertise, helping guide the Nuggets through one of the most successful stretches in franchise history.
