Top assistant coach Ed Pinckney, director of player development Dee Brown no longer with Denver Nuggets

A pair of surprising coaching moves reported Wednesday by Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post, suddenly leaves the Nuggets coaching staff with some big vacancies to fill before training camp begins later this fall.

Ed Pinckney, who just completed his first year as head coach Michael Malone’s lead assistant, reportedly resigned, while player development coach Dee Brown is also not returning to the team. Wes Unseld, who was on the staff last year has replaced Pinckney as Malone’s lead assistant, per Dempsey.

There are also conflicting reports coming out of New York, where Adam Zagoria of SNY is reporting Pinckney did not resign.

#Nuggets assistant coach Ed Pinckney did not resign, source w/ direct knowledge tells @SNYtv. No longer w/ the team.

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) July 13, 2016

Prior to Pinckney’s seemingly sudden resignation, another Nuggets assistant coach, Chris Fleming left the organization earlier this summer to join the Brooklyn Nets staff under new head coach Kenny Atkinson. Fleming and Atkinson go way back to when the two played college basketball together at the University of Richmond.

When all is said and done, two or Denver’s top five assistants will not be with the team next year along with their director of player development. Brown was an important part of Emmanuel Mudiay‘s progression over the course of last season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pinckney, who was with Tom Thibodeau in Chicago prior to joining Denver last season, wind up back with his former boss in Minnesota.

The Nuggets hired Jordi Fernandez as an assistant coach earlier this offseason, to most likely replace Fleming. Fernandez is in Las Vegas and at Summer League with the Nuggets.

Like he does 2+ hours before every game. Emmanuel Mudiay is out working pregame with assistant coach Dee Brown. pic.twitter.com/2czWU6bAPF

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) January 24, 2016