Nuggets Eyeing Ex-Lakers Champion For Assistant Coaching Role

The Denver Nuggets have joined the fray of teams looking to pry away a top assistant coach

Oct 7, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; (from left) Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley and assistant coach Greg St. Jean and head coach Jason Kidd and assistant coach Sean Sweeney during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets promoted David Adelson to the full-time head coach position soon after the season ended. They surprised many around the NBA when they fired Mike Malone with a few games remaining in the regular season, but the team responded, and they were able to push the eventual NBA champion OKC Thunder to seven games despite injuries to key players.

Now, Adelson is working on building out his first coaching staff, and they've identified a former NBA Champion that they'd like to add.

The Denver Nuggets are now in the mix to hire Jared Dudley away from Dallas along with Memphis & Cleveland, per @TheSteinLine.

(https://t.co/h0o4n3dD3e)

— All Things Mavs (@All_Things_Mavs) June 28, 2025

NBA insider Marc Stein has reported that the Denver Nuggets have "emerged as the latest team with interest in hiring assistant coach Jared Dudley away from the Dallas Mavericks." Dudley is currently the third assistant on Jason Kidd's bench in Dallas, but is looking for a promotion soon.

The Nuggets will have to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies for Dudley's services, as he's even been interviewed in Memphis. Dallas has lost a lot of members of its coaching staff this offseason, including lead assistant Sean Sweeney to the San Antonio Spurs, so this would be just another big blow.

Nov 6, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley works with the Mavericks before the game against the Boston Celtics at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dudley played for 14 years in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns (mainly), Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, and Los Angeles Lakers. Although he was never able to win a championship with those great Suns teams, he did get one as a valued veteran bench presence on the Lakers in the 2020 bubble.

Once Jason Kidd, who was an assistant with the Lakers when they won the title, landed the Mavericks job, Dudley retired to become a coach and quickly rose up the ranks, even interviewing for the Phoenix Suns head coaching job this offseason.

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