David Adelman Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets Name Ben Tenzer Interim GM

April 14th, 2025 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters, Nuggets vice chairman Josh Kroenke announced that vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer has been named the team’s interim GM (Twitter link).

Tenzer was a minor league coordinator for the Nuggets from 2005-09 and a legal extern in 2012 before being formally hired by the organization in 2013 as its director of team operations.

He has since worked his way up the basketball operations department, serving this past season as the general manager of Denver’s G League team (the Grand Rapids Gold) in addition to holding the title of Nuggets VP of basketball operations. According to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link), Tenzer is considered a salary cap expert.

A report last week indicated that Kroenke himself would serve as the Nuggets’ president of basketball operations – assisted by Tenzer and assistant general manager Tommy Balcetis – until the club hires a permanent replacement for GM Calvin Booth.

It’s safe to assume that Kroenke will still be the one signing off on any roster moves or personnel decisions Denver makes, but it sounds as if Tenzer will handle the day-to-day GM duties for now. With no trades or free agent signings permitted during the postseason, the Nuggets shouldn’t face any real roster decisions until this summer.

A full-fledged search for Booth’s replacement will be conducted once the Nuggets’ season comes to an end, Durando confirms.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

During Monday’s media session, Kroenke disputed a report which stated the Nuggets have been reluctant to trade Michael Porter Jr. due to his ties to the University of Missouri (which Porter and Kroenke both attended). According to Kroenke, the Nuggets are willing to trade anyone to improve their roster, as Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette relays (via Twitter).
Kroenke also pushed back on rumors that Russell Westbrook caused any problems in the Nuggets’ locker room, telling reporters that he “can’t say enough good things” about his experience with Westbrook and referring to the veteran guard as a “spicy ingredient” the team needed (Twitter links via Benedetto and Durando).
Jamal Murray, who had only played for Michael Malone since entering the NBA in 2016, spoke on Friday about the dismissal of the Nuggets’ longtime head coach, as Durando writes for The Denver Post. “I think he’s done a great job of also setting the example for the group behind us — not just us but for the group behind us,” Murray said. “He always preached a lot of sacrifice and playing for one another and stuff, but I thought Coach always showed a lot of humility in himself. Always taking control of the room. Always hating to lose. He was always setting the tone in that regard. So it sucks to kind of see him go like that, especially the way it happened this late (in the season). But we’re still gonna remain in contact and stuff like that.”
If interim head coach David Adelman leads the Nuggets to at least the second round of the playoffs, the team should give him the full-time job, contends Troy Renck of The Denver Post.

Inside The Nuggets’ Firing Of Michael Malone, Calvin Booth

April 12th, 2025 at 6:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Nuggets head coach Michael Malone had lost the support of virtually the entire locker room by the time he and general manager Calvin Booth were fired earlier this week, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required) reports within an investigation of what went wrong in Denver.

Malone was a strong-willed coach whose emotions varied greatly depending on whether the team won or lost, sources tell Fischer. Many players found that experience grating and began to tune him out.

“I can’t say any player was vouching for him,” one source told Fischer, while another said “this thing is broken” after a loss to Indiana last week.

As several other reports have indicated, Malone and Booth had a strained relationship and rarely communicated other than to discuss matters involving the team. Booth turned down a contract extension prior to the season, believing it was below his market value, and it was widely believed that Malone’s time in Denver would have ended this offseason if Booth had accepted the offer and remained GM.

Much of their conflict stemmed from Malone’s preference to rely on experienced veterans at the expense of younger talent, which Fischer notes is a practice that pre-dates Booth’s arrival to the team. Fischer points to Isaiah Hartenstein, one of the most sought-after free agents on last year’s market, as the best example. Hartenstein could have developed into a reliable backup for Nikola Jokic, but Malone only used him in 30 games during the 2020/21 season before he was traded to Cleveland at the deadline.

A similar situation played out last year with Jay Huff, who has blossomed this season in Memphis. Sources tell Fischer that Booth and assistant general manager Tommy Balcetis both implored Malone to play Huff, who was on a two-way contract at the time, but he only got into 20 games and averaged 2.5 minutes per night.

While Christian Braun eventually broke through and has established himself as a reliable starter, Malone was pushing to trade him for a more established player leading up to the 2024 deadline, sources tell Fischer.

Fischer points out that despite their animosity, Malone and Booth were able to produce the most successful seasons in Nuggets history, winning the NBA title in 2023 and matching the franchise record for victories with 57 last year.

Much of the frustration stemmed from Malone’s refusal to give regular minutes to the young players Booth brought in after Bruce Brown, Jeff Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left in free agency. Fischer notes that Booth had a sign-and-trade opportunity with the Mavericks last summer involving Caldwell-Pope, but he didn’t want to strengthen the roster of the defending Western Conference champions.

The Nuggets were quiet at this year’s trade deadline, as Booth said potential deals would have to involve Zeke Nnaji‘s $8.8MM salary and Dario Saric‘s $5.1MM. Fischer hears that Denver expressed interest in several players — including Terance Mann, who was ultimately dealt to Atlanta — but Booth felt the price was too high and many potential trading partners shied away from Saric because he holds a player option for next season.

The front office also considered trade options that would turn Michael Porter Jr.‘s $36MM salary into multiple players on lesser deals, according to Fischer. He adds that it never got past the conceptual stage, noting that the Kroenkes are fond of Porter because he’s a Missouri alum just like they are, and they’re considered unlikely to trade him away.

Nuggets players are more supportive of interim coach David Adelman, and Fischer hears that he’ll get a chance to keep the job on a permanent basis. Fischer notes that Booth wasn’t immediately replaced, but sources tell him the team will conduct a search for a new head of basketball operations while keeping most of the current front office together. Fischer mentions Minnesota general manager Matt Lloyd as a name to watch.

The biggest question hanging over the Nuggets as the season winds down is whether Jokic might grow tired of all the chaos and ask for a trade. Fischer states that the three-time MVP has shown no indication of wanting out, but adds that rival teams are sure to be calling with offers this summer.

Nikola Jokic Discusses Nuggets’ Coaching Change

April 10th, 2025 at 10:54pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Nuggets made the stunning decision to part with head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth earlier this week. Before the news broke, Denver did indeed inform its superstar Nikola Jokic that Malone, with whom Jokic had spent his entire career with, would not be continuing with the franchise, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

“I knew a little bit before everybody,” Jokic said. “And (team president and governor Josh Kroenke) told me, ‘We made a decision.’ So it was not a discussion. It was a decision, and he told me why. So I listened and I accept it.”

In the wake of the move, the Nuggets picked up a win over the Kings under interim coach David Adelman. According to The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando, the coaching staff tried to give players more flexibility to be communicative, including Jokic explaining plays and using the whiteboard during the team huddle.

“People say that we are vulnerable, but the beast is always the strongest or the most dangerous when they’re vulnerable,” Jokic said. “Maybe (Kroenke) woke up the beast. I mean, when someone wants to wake somebody up or change the energy, that’s probably what they do. In my country, if somebody gets fired … probably you’re the next (to go). So I think it definitely changed something, and they got the reaction that they wanted, probably.”

Jokic added that the change simply reflected the nature of the NBA and that the Nuggets needed to process the move quickly with the playoffs looming. Still, the three-time MVP developed a close relationship with Malone and made sure to reach out and check on him afterward.

“It was a 10-year relationship,” Jokic said. “So it was just, it was a heavy day for everybody. Especially for him and his family.“

Latest On Nuggets’ Dismissals Of Calvin Booth, Michael Malone

April 10th, 2025 at 9:45am CST by Dana Gauruder

Team officials and players had grown weary of the disconnect between Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth and head coach Michael Malone. That, plus a desire to audition top assistant David Adelman for the head coaching job, led to the dismissals of both Booth and Malone, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones report.

Booth wanted to fire Malone as the team struggled down the stretch but knew he no longer had the power to make that bold move because of his contract situation. In the last year of his deal after failing to sign extension with ownership, Booth figured he would have to wait until after the playoffs to dismiss Malone, depending upon how the team performed.

Instead, owner Stan Kroenke and team president Josh Kroenke chose to part with both of them. The Kroenkes had made previous efforts to repair the relationship between Booth and Malone to no avail and ultimately decided to get rid of the negativity that was affecting the team. The team’s most important players, including Nikola Jokic, had grown frustrated and weary by Malone’s fiery approach.

Having replaced Malone shortly before the regular season ended, Adelman will have a chance to show whether he should have the interim tag removed after the postseason. Adelman has the support of the team’s regulars due to his steady and calm demeanor.

The ownership group is also aware that Adelman, whose contract is expiring, could have other head coaching opportunities. The Trail Blazers are likely to pursue him if they decide to fire Chauncey Billups, league sources tell Amick and Jones.

Here’s more from The Athletic’s in-depth reporting:

It’s expected that the Kroenkes will mull a possible reunion with Tim Connelly, the former Nuggets GM who took over as the Timberwolves’ top exec in May 2022. Connelly has an opt-out in his contract for this summer. However, it’s believed that the Timberwolves’ new owners, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, will try to retain him. If the Nuggets can’t pry away Connelly, they could instead make a run at Minnesota GM Matt Lloyd.
Malone had more input on personnel decisions when Connelly ran the show. Once Booth took over, Malone had much less influence and that irked the head coach. Booth had considered firing Malone prior to the team’s 2023 championship run.
Booth had extensive discussions with the Kroenkes heading into the season but chose not to sign what he believed was a below-market offer. However, Booth believed that an extension was a mere formality. The Kroenkes pulled their offer when the club got off to a mediocre start.
As previously reported, Booth wanted Malone to give more minutes to the younger guys that he drafted, particularly Jalen Pickett and Peyton Watson. After the team was eliminated by Minnesota last season, Booth thought Malone should have expanded the rotation during the regular season to keep the top players fresher, while Malone thought Booth should have given him a more well-rounded roster.
Booth’s offseason decisions to give Zeke Nnaji a four-year contract and sign Dario Saric further strained the relationship. Malone hasn’t used either player in the rotation in recent months. Malone’s decision to stick with Russell Westbrook, another offseason pickup, over Pickett also caused considerable friction.
Westbrook’s future with the organization, even if he picks up his $3.4MM option, is uncertain. Adelman was quicker to sub out Westbrook for Pickett during the team’s win over the Kings on Wednesday. Jamal Murray is expected to return from his hamstring injury on Friday.

Nuggets Notes: Adelman, Malone, Booth, Murray

April 9th, 2025 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Interim coach David Adelman talked about improving the “overall vibe” around the Nuggets as he met with the media before Wednesday’s game at Sacramento, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Adelman also cited the need for players “to start to rely on each other in a more positive way. And constructive criticism is good, but I think there’s gotta be a better way to communicate with our group. And that I think will lead to better play.”

Adelman is in a difficult spot as he takes over a team locked in a tight playoff race with three games left in the regular season. Denver could wind up anywhere from third to eighth in the conference standings, so it’s urgent to pick up wins tonight against the Kings, Friday at home against Memphis, and Sunday at Houston.

Adelman also acknowledged former head coach Michael Malone, who amassed 471 victories in nearly 10 seasons with the Nuggets before being dismissed on Tuesday along with general manager Calvin Booth (Twitter link).

“Best coach in (franchise) history,” Adelman said. “Can’t argue it. Percentage-wise. Wins. Finals championship. … The national narrative, whatever it is, I look at it as a hell of a run. And he’s not done.”

Adelman told reporters that vice chairman Josh Kroenke met with the players after the decision to fire Malone and Booth was announced (Twitter link). According to Adelman, Kroenke’s message was, “To be concise: ‘Be better.'”

There’s more on the Nuggets:

Booth deserved to be fired after letting the trade deadline pass without a major addition, but Malone should have been treated better, contends Troy Renck of The Denver Post. Renck argues that if Malone had been in charge of personnel, he never would have let Bruce Brown or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leave in free agency. Renck also points out that Malone gave opportunities to the young talent that Booth drafted, but only Christian Braun has emerged as a dependable rotation player.
Booth’s mistakes included gambling on Jamal Murray‘s health by giving him a four-year max extension last offseason, writes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. Murray was a vital part of the 2023 championship team, but he missed the previous two postseasons with a torn ACL and his status for this year’s playoffs is uncertain due to inflammation in his right hamstring.
Giannis Sfairopoulos, head coach of Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade, talked to George Adamopoulos of Eurohoops about getting an offer to become an assistant with the Nuggets when Malone took over the team in 2015. “If I agreed, maybe I would still be there,” Sfairopoulos said. “But that’s not the point. The point is it was bad timing.”

More Details On Nuggets’ Decision To Fire Malone, Booth

April 9th, 2025 at 3:37pm CST by Rory Maher

While the timing of the Nuggets‘ firings of head coach Michael Malone and Calvin Booth was certainly surprising, team president Josh Kroenke and his father, owner Stan Kroenke, had decided “days earlier” to move on from both when the season ended, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. A season-worst four-game losing streak — and the possibility of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018 — accelerated that timeline.

Malone and Booth continually butted heads over lineup and roster decisions since Denver won its first title in 2023, resulting in a culture in which “coaches don’t trust the front office and front office (employees) don’t trust the coaches,” as one source told Durando.

According to Durando’s sources, part of the impetus behind ownership’s decision to fire the winningest coach in team history was that “multiple key players” began tuning out Malone’s messaging, something he seemed to allude to last month after a loss in Portland.

“They’re not going to go back and watch their minutes, because nobody watches their minutes,” Malone said at the time. “Nobody watches film. So we’ll have to show them the film.”

The bickering between Malone and Booth only got worse over time.

“It wasn’t fun to be around that environment,” another source told The Post. “Everyone was waiting for an endpoint.”

Here’s more on the dismissals of Malone and Booth:

Malone was frustrated both privately and publicly about the Nuggets’ defensive regression, but their decline on that end of the court also factored into the organization’s frustration with its coach, according to Durando. After having the eighth-ranked defense last season, Denver has fallen to 20th in 2024/25.
Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports also hears the tension between the coach and GM “began to mount” during Denver’s late-season skid, with Booth making lineup suggestions that Malone disagreed with and which he did not take “kindly.” Booth was also critical of Malone’s coaching and usage of Jamal Murray, league sources tell Goodwill. Booth wanted Malone to push Murray more defensively and play him fewer minutes — he’s averaging a career-high 36.3 MPG and is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury which might jeopardize his postseason availability.
League sources told Yahoo Sports in January that Malone was likely to resign from his position after the season due to his poor relationship with Booth. Malone was reportedly under contract through 2027, while Booth was on an expiring deal.
Harrison Wind and Brendan Vogt of DNVR Sports (subscriber link) discuss why the Nuggets chose to fire Malone and Booth, and why the team made the decision with only three regular season games remaining on its schedule.
Durando of The Denver Post lists five candidates to replace Booth as general manager, including assistant GM Tommy Balcetis, who has been with the franchise since 2013.
In a similar story for The Post, Luca Evans lists 10 candidates to replace Malone, including interim head coach David Adelman, a longtime assistant. Frank Vogel and Taylor Jenkins are among the other coaches listed.
How did opposing head coaches react to Malone’s firing? Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press has the story and quotes.
The timing of the decision to fire Malone and Booth was “rude, crude and disrespectful,” according to Mark Kiszla of The Denver Gazette, but he contends it was overdue, since their broken relationship was wasting the prime of Nikola Jokic, who is having one of the best individual seasons in NBA history.
Mark Medina of RG.org views the situation differently, arguing that ownership is ultimately “at the heart” of the disconnect between the coaching staff and front office.

Latest On Firings Of Nuggets Coach Michael Malone, GM Calvin Booth

April 8th, 2025 at 6:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The sudden firings of Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth blindsided virtually everyone around the league, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link). Windhorst said the moves were driven by the team’s ownership.

“Extremely shocking you would move on from a coach this late in the season no matter the circumstances, especially when he’s the winningest coach in the history of the team and led you to a championship two years ago, even if there were difficulties in the locker room or within the front office,” Windhorst said. “That he would not be allowed to have the playoffs to try to deal with it is very, very surprising.”

Moving on from Booth was much less eye-opening, except for the timing of the move. In fact, it was anticipated that this would be Booth’s last season in the organization.

“This was less surprising to the league, however, because Calvin Booth’s contract is up after this season. They’ve had negotiations throughout the season and it broke down, it wasn’t going well,” Windhorst said.

There was friction between the coach and GM, mainly due to Booth wanting Malone to play his recent draft picks more often, according to Windhorst.

Here’s more on the Nuggets late-season purge:

The remainder of the staff held onto their jobs, at least through the rest of the season, The Athletic trio of Tony Jones, Sam Amick and Zach Powell report. David Adelman was named interim head coach. The assistants are all on expiring deals, however, which signals a much different staff could be in place next season.
Expanding on the notion Booth was upset about rotation moves, The Athletic noted that Booth wanted Malone to play Jalen Pickett over Russell Westbrook during the stretch run. Booth was also unhappy that Zeke Nnaji, who was signed to a four-year deal, hasn’t gotten much playing time and that another free agent signee, Dario Saric, fell out of favor with Malone before December.
The team’s defensive decline played a significant part in the recent rise in organizational frustration, The Athletic adds. Denver has lost its last four games, mainly due to defensive breakdowns.
The coaches were frustrated by, among other things, recent front office-led additions to the coaching staff, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.
Nikola Jokic was informed of the decision earlier today before it was announced, Matt Moore of Action Network tweets. Jokic had not requested a change in the front office or coaching staff, though his frustration with the way the team has performed this season played a role in ownership’s decision-making process.
A panel of ESPN insiders shared their thoughts on the firings, including how the moves might affect their playoff run and Jokic’s future, particularly since he’s extension-eligible this offseason.
In an interview posted by the team and relayed by Nuggets reporter Katy Winge (Twitter link), team governor Josh Kroenke said he didn’t make a rash decision. “Having observed that group over a period of time there were certain trends that were very worrisome to me at different points in time. But they would get masked by a few wins here and there,” he said.
Booth had a diplomatic response to losing his job, Jones tweets. “I don’t have any regrets. I did my job to the best of my ability,” he said.
Negotiations between Booth and ownership regarding an extension was at the “one-yard line” early this season before Booth turned down Kroenke’s offer, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post reports.

Nuggets Fire Coach Michael Malone, GM Calvin Booth

April 8th, 2025 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Maher

12:46pm: The Nuggets confirmed in a press release that both Malone and Booth have been let go.

“This decision was not made lightly and was evaluated very carefully, and we do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship,” Josh Kroenke said as part of a larger statement.

12:30pm: The Nuggets are firing head coach Michael Malone, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Denver is also firing general manager Calvin Booth, according to Charania (Twitter link).

Malone was dismissed in a meeting earlier today, Charania reports. The 53-year-old helped Denver win its first NBA championship less than two years ago.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne hears that vice chairman Josh Kroenke informed Malone and Booth of the news this morning (Twitter link).

According to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link), longtime assistant David Adelman will be the Nuggets’ interim head coach. Adelman has been the acting coach a few times in the past when Malone was unavailable.

The timing of the news is pretty shocking, primarily because there are only three regular season games remaining on Denver’s schedule. The Nuggets have dropped four straight games, including a dispiriting loss to Indiana on Sunday, and are in danger of falling into the play-in tournament.

Denver is currently 47-32, the No. 4 seed in the West, but sits only a half-game ahead of four other teams who have one fewer win and the same number of losses.

Malone had been the head coach of the Nuggets for nearly 10 years, having been hired in June of 2015. He is the organization’s all-time leader in wins, compiling a 471-327 record (.590 winning percentage) during the regular season and 44-36 mark in the playoffs (.550).

According to Charania (Twitter link), Malone’s ouster is tied for the latest coaching change in NBA history, matching Hubie Brown being let go by Atlanta back in 1980/81. Malone is the second longtime coach of a potential playoff team to be fired in the past two weeks, joining Taylor Jenkins, who was dismissed by Memphis.

While Malone was reportedly under contract through 2027, Booth was on an expiring deal. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Booth and the Nuggets failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension before the 2024/25 season began (Twitter link).

A former NBA player, Booth had been with the Nuggets for eight years, having been promoted to GM in 2020. Although he was not formally given the title of president of basketball operations, he had been atop the front office hierarchy since 2022, when former president Tim Connelly was hired away by the Timberwolves.

Multiple reports last year indicated that Malone and Booth often butted heads and had differing views on the best way to build around superstar center Nikola Jokic. Instead of keeping one or the other, the Nuggets have decided to part with both before the season concludes.

Forward Michael Porter Jr. acknowledged at beginning of the season that major changes could be in store if the Nuggets failed to win a championship in 2025. Surprisingly, the team decided to make some of those changes before even seeing how the rest of ’24/25 played out.

Nuggets Notes: Saric, Malone, Jokic, Watson

November 17th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

After recently being pulled from the Nuggets‘ rotation, Dario Saric found himself in the starting lineup Friday night, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. The move was made out of necessity because Nikola Jokic was absent for personal reasons, and Saric responded with nine points, eight rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes.

“He allowed us to play when we were organized like we usually play,” acting head coach David Adelman said. “Obviously, Nikola is an unworldly player, but Dario allows you to play in the pocket. He allows you to play off the elbow. … Early in the game, we had a nice flow because we were playing through him.”

Saric had expected to be a rotation fixture when he signed a two-year, $10.6MM contract with Denver over the summer. But a slow start for both him and the team forced coach Michael Malone to make changes. The Nuggets won five straight games and Malone was reluctant to tinker with the new lineup, but he assured Saric that he would eventually get a chance to earn regular playing time again.

“We talked about the situation, why was the decision made,” Saric said. “Obviously, the second unit wasn’t that good in that time, so he kind of made the decision that it would be me.”

There’s more on the Nuggets:

Malone missed Friday’s game because his daughter had a volleyball match in the state tournament, Durando states in a separate story. “From being a coach’s son and growing up around this, and the things you miss as a dad, really cool that he’s there,” Adelman told reporters. “That’s something you don’t want to miss. It’s one game (for the Nuggets). Whatever. That’s really important to her. It’s really important to their family. So I’m glad he’s there.”
Adelman refused to provide any details about the reasons for Jokic’s absence, Durando adds. “Things at home for somebody, that’s their business,” Adelman said, “and when he feels like he’s ready to come back, he’ll come back.” The three-time MVP will also miss today’s game against Memphis, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Jokic and his family are fine and there’s no cause for alarm, adds Katy Winge of Altitude TV (Twitter link).
Adelman experimented with a small-ball lineup that Malone introduced last week featuring 6’7″ Peyton Watson at center, Durando notes in the same piece. Although Watson reached double figures in scoring by halftime, the Nuggets had trouble getting rebounds with him in the middle.

Northwest Notes: Blazers’ Draft Options, Wolves’ Workouts, Adelman

June 12th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

With the draft just two weeks away, there’s no consensus on which players the Trail Blazers might land with the seventh and 14th picks, writes Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. He examines several mock drafts and notes they have varied widely on Portland’s selections since last month’s lottery.

With a talented backcourt already in place in Portland, Highkin believes the only certainty is that the Blazers won’t take a guard with their first choice. That would eliminate Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, along with Serbia’s Nikola Topic. However, if a recent ACL injury causes Topic to slide down to the end of the lottery, Highkin thinks Portland might be interested.

UConn center Donovan Clingan is a popular projection to the Blazers in recent mock drafts, but there’s also a chance he could be taken in the top three. Highkin doesn’t expect Portland to trade up for Clingan or any other prospect because there’s a strong chance the team can get a player it likes by staying at No. 7.

Highkin observes that the Blazers’ front office typically focuses on potential upside rather than looking for a player with a high floor. He hears Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht had a strong showing when he worked out in Portland.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Trail Blazers are planning to upgrade and expand their practice facility, Highkin adds in a separate story. In February, the team advanced the project by spending $4.6MM to buy a plot of land next to the current facility. The move suggests that owner Jody Allen is in no hurry to sell the franchise, Highkin states.
The Timberwolves hosted Texas’ Dylan Disu, Stanford’s Spencer Jones, Serbia’s Bogoljub Markovic, Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves, UConn’s Cam Spencer, and Clemson’s PJ Hall for a pre-draft workout on Wednesday, the team announced (via Twitter). A Sunday workout brought in Utah’s Branden Carlson, Minnesota’s Cam Christie, Serbia’s Nikola Djurisic, Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro, Weber State’s Dillon Jones, and UConn’s Tristen Newton (Twitter link).
Bennett Durando of The Denver Post questions why Nuggets assistant David Adelman isn’t getting more consideration from teams that are looking for head coaches. Sources confirmed to Durando that Adelman interviewed this year with the Hornets, Cavaliers and Lakers, but he hasn’t been reported as among the frontrunners for any of those jobs. The Nuggets believe it’s just a matter of time before Adelman gets an opportunity, Durando adds.