Just when it looked like the Denver Nuggets had narrowed its list of head-coach candidates down to three, news surfaces they've interviewed a new candidate: Portland Trail Blazers assistant David Vanterpool.
All signs had pointed to Denver's coaching search being narrowed down to Mike Malone, Mike D'Antoni and Melvin Hunt. Now there's a fourth name, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
"Portland Trail Blazers assistant David Vanterpool interviewed for the Denver Nuggets' head coaching job, league sources told Yahoo Sports," Wojnarowski wrote Tuesday. "... While Vanterpool isn't considered a frontrunner to replace Brian Shaw, Denver general manager Tim Connelly's discussion with Vanterpool in recent days is reflective of the respect Vanterpool's earned in three seasons as an NBA assistant coach."
Vanterpool, 42, played for only one season - with the Washington Wizards - in the NBA. He spent most of his professional career playing overseas in Italy, China and Russia before becoming an assistant coach for CSKA Moscow in 2005. Two years later, Vanterpool became an assistant for Portland.
Although Vanterpool, who interviewed for the Philadelphia 76ers' head coaching job in 2013, interviewed for the job, the Nuggets appear no closer to narrowing down its field of contenders.
"Interim coach Melvin Hunt remains a strong candidate for the Denver job, along with Michael Malone and Mike D'Antoni, league sources said," Wojnarowski wrote.
Malone recently interviewed for a second time.
