All the attention is being paid to the moves the Nuggets are making to the roster, and rightfully so, but they scored a massive addition on Wednesday morning, hiring Jared Dudley to be David Adelman’s lead assistant on the bench.
Dallas Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley is finalizing a deal to become the top assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets under David Adelman, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports tells ESPN. Dudley has been on Mavs' staff since 2021 after a 14-year NBA career. pic.twitter.com/sA5gN2yp8h
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2025
Dudley played 14 seasons in the NBA, carving out a career as well respected role player and veteran leader, finally winning a championship with the Lakers in 2020. Dudley retired in 2021 and has served as an assistant coach for the Mavericks ever since.
He has been one of the hottest names on the coaching market and was rumored to be in the mix for some head coaching jobs earlier in the offseason. Now, the Nuggets have managed to lure him away from Dallas as the soon-to-be 40-year-old will join the staff in Denver.
Dudley brings playing experience to coaching staff in Denver
Adelman has already proven he deserves the job, but a young first-time head coach needs a strong staff, and adding Dudley should do wonders. Having the voice of a longtime former player should go a long way in the locker room, as Dudley has earned respect in the coaching world for his ability to connect with players while also holding them accountable.
As much as Adelman has been around the league and obviously has an incredible basketball acumen, there’s something to be said for relating to players in a way that people who never played in the league simply cannot.
Whether fair or not, it’s clearly a real thing, and Dudley’s presence, along with another former champion, JJ Barea, should help eliminate any potential disconnect between the players and coaches.
Dudley may be hot name for future head coaching gigs
With how fast Dudley has risen up the ranks as a coach, it’s definitely fair to wonder if teams will come calling down the road, trying to poach him away for a head coaching job. That’s certainly a possibility, but at the end of the day, it’s a good problem to have.
Almost every assistant coach is trying to reach head coaching status. If Dudley leaves for a better job, it will likely be because he does a great job in Denver and helps the team win. Assistants are largely replaceable, and there’s a lot of turnover in the field already.
Anything he can add to the franchise should be seen as a huge win, and to worry about the fact that he may leave down the road feels like putting the cart before the horse. This is a great hire, a great addition to the staff, and another great move in what has been an outstanding offseason for the Nuggets.