Winning the NBA's Coach of the Year award wasn't enough to keep George Karl in Denver, as the organization fired him rather than grant the long-term extension he was said to be seeking.
According to reports, Denver was unwilling to give Karl a long-term extension on his current contract, which had one year left on it. General manager Masai Ujiri recently departed as well, leaving for a bigger payday with the Toronto Raptors, leaving a giant hole in Denver's front office. Karl was said to have been deeply upset by owner Josh Kroenke's refusal to commit long-term, and had he remained the situation would not have been workable. The Nuggets also had a team option they could have activated which would have kept Karl on the Denver sideline for three more seasons.
In addition to losing Ujiri and Karl, front office executive Pete D'Alessandro is a target of the Sacramento Kings for their general manager job. Kroenke has not yet granted permission for the Kings to speak with him, and D'Alessandro is rumored to be considered for an elevated role in Denver.
If they lost D'Alessandro as well, the Nuggets leadership foundation would be facing a near-total makeover.
Kroenke is expected to take a greater role in the management of the team, sources say, and Denver is looking to speak quickly with Lionel Hollins, who coached the Memphis Grizzlies to the Western Conference Finals this season.
Another name mentioned in conjunction with the Nuggets is Indiana Pacers assistant coach Brian Shaw, who has connections with Phil Jackson and is also being hotly pursued by the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Complicating the coaching carousel further, Karl might be a name big enough to throw a monkey wrench into any team's designs. The Nets, for example, were after Shaw but may elect to woo Karl with their veteran-laden roster and win-now mentality.
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