The Denver Nuggets had about as disappointing of a playoff run as there can be after suffering a 4-2 series loss in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, whio were seeded three slots below the Nuggets in the bracket. 

That series loss is made even worse considering that by the end of the series the Timberwolves were down Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu, yet still pulled of the win. 

After suffering an upset like that, teams look for accountability or blame for the disappointment. The easiest targets are always the head coach, where taking the hits for failure is practically in the job description.

For the Nuggets, their head coach David Adelman is an even easier target than usual.

The 2025-26 season was the first full season of Adelman's head coaching career after he took over as the interim head coach for Denver when Mike Malone was fired with just two games left in the 24-25 regular season. 

Looking both at the Nuggets' early playoff exit and Adelman's relative lack of experience, it would be easy to think that Adelman's position would be at risk. The way that Malone was fired certainly established a tone that Denver leadership can be quick with the trigger.

However, reports inside of the organization seem to indicate that Adelman's position is safe. An article from the Denver Post suggests that he'll be back to coach a second season and looking at what Adelman accomplished at least in the regular season, it's easy to see why. 

Adelman did not have an easy task ahead of him in his first full season. The Nuggets were riddled with injuries, with the original starting five of the team hardly playing with each other at all throughout the first two-thirds of the season. 

He put together 28 different starting fives while he attempted to navigate through that sea of injuries, including a period of time where he lost his main two centers in Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas within games of each other, and still he managed to coach Denver to 54 wins.

His players also clearly have his back and were quick to take accountability themselves for the team's premature playoff exit. Denver's two stars Jokic and Jamal Murray both defended Adelman after their fateful Game 6 loss.

By all accounts, the Nuggets under Adelman were one of the better teams in the league in the regular season and when it comes to the playoffs, it truly can be anyone's game.

At least for now, it doesn't seem like the ramifications of Denver's disappointing end will fall on Adelman's head.