The Denver Nuggets are actively reshaping their coaching staff under newly hired head coach David Adelman, with the franchise securing permission to interview Dallas Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
In a post on X Saturday night, Stein reported that Denver is also showing “strong interest” in former Mavericks guard JJ Barea for a position on Adelman’s bench.
Dudley, who just completed his fourth season as an assistant in Dallas, has emerged as one of the most sought-after names among NBA coaching candidates. Phoenix previously interviewed him for its head coaching vacancy, while both the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers have shown interest in adding him to their staffs.
The 39-year-old brings a blend of locker-room respect and recent player experience, having retired from the NBA in 2021 after a 14-year career with teams including the Suns, Bucks, Clippers, and Lakers.
Barea, 41, last played in the NBA in 2020 but has remained active in coaching, leading several squads in Puerto Rico’s Baloncesto Superior Nacional. His leadership and familiarity with high-pressure playoff environments have made him a name to watch as Adelman assembles his new staff.
The Nuggets are entering a pivotal offseason after a turbulent end to the 2024–25 campaign. Despite finishing with a 50–32 record and advancing past the Clippers in a tightly contested first-round series, Denver fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games during the Western Conference Semifinals.
Just three games before the playoffs, the organization parted ways with longtime head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth. Adelman, who had served as Malone’s lead assistant since 2017, was officially promoted to head coach on May 22.
