Nuggets' Adelman Reportedly Expected to Interest Blazers If Chauncey Billups Is Fired

Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman might draw some interest elsewhere if he doesn't stick around permanently, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick and Tony Jones.

Amick and Jones reported the Portland Trail Blazers could make a run at Adelman if they let go of their current coach, Chauncey Billups.

Billups is into his fourth season in Portland. The Blazers have a .356 winning percentage over that time, though they've already made a 14-win improvement this year over 2023-24.

Especially when general manager Joe Cronin just received an extension, it's hard to picture Billups being let go when the franchise has shown tangible progress in its rebuild.

But The Athletic report points to how Adelman may have options in the summer, which will give him some leverage in any contract negotiations with the Nuggets.

As the son of Hall of Famer Rick Adelman, the 43-year-old comes from a strong coaching pedigree. His NBA coaching career started under his dad with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Working as an assistant under Michael Malone in Denver helped to get him out of his father's shadow and boost his stock.

As early as 2020, ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz was citing Adelman as a future head coach.

His first crack at a full-time role, whether it's with the Nuggets or another team, might finally arrive this offseason.