Denver Nuggets hire Mike Malone as next head coach

The search is over.

The Denver Nuggets have reached an agreement to hire Michael Malone as coach, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 15, 2015

Mike Malone will be the next head coach of the Denver Nuggets. Malone interviewed with general manager Tim Connelly multiple times over the last few weeks and has landed the gig.

Per Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, Malone will be on a three year deal, with a team option in the fourth year.

Malone went 39-67 in his short tenure with the Sacramento Kings, and was an assistant coach with New York (2001-05), Cleveland (2005-10), New Orleans (2010-11), and Golden State (2011-13).

This is somewhat of a surprising hire as many believed the Nuggets would either give Melvin Hunt a much deserved shot, or go with a more experienced coach. Malone doesn’t exactly fit that mold, but he impressed Tim Connelly enough to pull the trigger on the hire.

It is also interesting that this hire comes just days after Josh Kroenke brought back former Kings GM Pete D’Allesandro to the organization, who was forced by Kings ownership to fire Malone in Sacramento.

Stay tuned, more news on this to follow.