Mike D’Antoni, Nuggets discuss coaching vacancy

[Kevin]

Mike D’Antoni met with Denver Nuggets management to discuss the franchise’s head coaching opening, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Denver general manager Tim Connelly conducted a sit-down with D’Antoni in California on Tuesday, league sources said.

D’Antoni’s vaunted running game fits into Denver’s determination that it wants to play faster in the future. Melvin Hunt, the interim coach in the wake of Brian Shaw’s firing, remains a strong contender to retain the full-time job, league sources said.

Along with D’Antoni and Hunt, ex-Sacramento Kings coach Michael Malone has had conversations with Connelly and could soon emerge with a sit-down interview, league sources said.

Denver was 30-52 in the 2014-15 season.

D’Antoni, 64, spent less than a season as the interim head coach with the Nuggets in 1998-99 before re-emerging as the highly successful Phoenix Suns coach for five seasons beginning in 2003. D’Antoni largely revolutionized offensive basketball with his seven-seconds-or-less offense, leading the Suns to the Western Conference Finals twice and the playoffs two more years.

He moved on to the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, where he managed to make the playoffs once with each franchise.

[Andrew]

Young team that wants to run...yeah, a couple of years under D'Antoni seems like the next step.

[Jackal]

They let Karl go for no reason. He's a way better coach than D'Antoni. This team suits his offense though so they'll do okay. They set themselves back for no reason with letting Karl go though.

[mp3]

Don't do it Denver!

[shadowgrin]

Do it! Bring back Denver high scoring basketball.


Mike Malone seems like the better option because he's cheaper.

[mp3]

Denver will score more but so will the other team.

D'Antoni will only go so far unless they get on board with solid defence

[air gordon]

There are some defensive pieces there in Lawson, the euro, and manimal

It would be a welcome surprise to see dantoni back in the league.

[NovU]

Manimal's kinda known to be a hole in defense. He's too small. Nurkic's foul prone.

[benji]

They let Karl go for no reason.

Front office differences. And the first round exits.

Especially with the younger Kroenke feelin his oats. And Ujiri bolting for Toronto.

Karl is arguably one of the ideal coaches for a team with this makeup though, D'Antoni probably is too. Shaw was always a terrible choice, and the team's made some dumb trades for no reason other than to just shake things up.

Gallinari's injuries have really hurt the team, that's a real D'Antoni guy though (along with Lawson), one of many the Knicks gifted away in the Melo trade.

[Stress Fracture]

Lawson has been rumored to leave. I wonder if he will change his mind if D'Antoni gets the job.

[benji]

He's signed through 2017.

The Nuggets extended practically all their core a couple years back.

[Kevin]

I hope Ty doesn't leave. If he does, they're back to square one. Gallinari's not the same since the injuries.

[mp3]

If you have D'Antoni coaching in Denver he will play Faried at center a lot and have him shooting 3's too.

I was interested in what he could do for the NY offence but what he did was play Shawne Williams a lot at center against guys like Dwight Howard with the logic that if he gives up 2 points to Howard he can get an easy 3 with Williams if Dwight doesn't guard the 3.

He got out coached all the time in NY