Nuggets reportedly hiring Dave Joerger as lead assistant under David Adelman

Joerger reached a deal on Monday night to join the Nuggets’ coaching staff next season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Joerger will serve as the lead assistant on head coach David Adelman’s staff. 

Joerger has been an assistant in the league for nearly two decades, and he served as the head coach for both the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. The Grizzlies fired Joerger after three seasons in 2016, though Joerger had sought permission to talk to other teams about job openings during his final campaign. He then joined the Kings the following season, and spent three years there, too. In total, Joerger compiled a 245-247 record as a head coach.

Since his last head job, Joerger has spent time as an assistant with both the Philadelphia 76ers and most recently the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Joerger will now get to join the Nuggets as Adelman enters his second full season at the helm. The Nuggets went 54-28 last season, but were knocked out in the opening round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team has had a busy offseason already, including waiving center Jonas Valančiūnas and matching an offer to retain Spencer Jones. The Nuggets will also have to decide what to do about restricted free agent Peyton Watson in the near future, too. 

While that move is still looming, Joerger is on staff to help Adelman attempt to guide the franchise back on another deep playoff run in a few months.