REPORT: Cavaliers Granted Permission To Interview Nuggets Assistant Coach

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Cleveland has received permission to interview Denver Assistant Coach David Adelman for the team’s head coach vacancy.

Jan 18, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets assistant coach David Adelman gestures in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

As the month of June has started to progress, reportedly so too has the Cleveland Cavaliers’ search for their next head coach.

So far, Cleveland has reportedly been cleared to interview five candidates for the position after the team parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff last month.

Now, the Wine and Gold can reportedly interview another person for the job.

On Tuesday, according to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavaliers received permission to interview Denver Nuggets Assistant Coach David Adelman.

Although the 43-year-old Adelman has not yet been an NBA head coach, he has extensive experience as an assistant. He has served as an NBA assistant coach for each of the past 12 seasons, and just completed his seventh campaign with Denver. Adelman was also part of the 2022-23 Nuggets coaching staff that led the team to its first title in franchise history.

Jan 18, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets assistant coach David Adelman gestures in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Before his time with Denver, he was an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic during the 2016-17 season. Prior to his lone campaign with Orlando, Adelman spent five seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was involved with Minnesota’s player development during the 2011-12 season before becoming an assistant coach for the next four seasons.

Adelman also has strong family ties to the NBA. His father, Rick Adelman, is a Hall-of-Fame coach who won 1,042 regular-season games, finished second in the NBA Coach of the Year Award voting four times, and led the Portland Trail Blazers to a pair of NBA Finals appearances.

Adelman joins the reported group of Micah Nori, Johnnie Bryant and Chris Quinn, as well as Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego as candidates Cleveland has received permission to interview.

Time will ultimately tell how the Cavaliers’ head coach search advances as the 2024 NBA Draft approaches.