Karl, who led the Nuggets from 2005 to 2013 and won NBA Coach of the Year in 2013, took to social media to express his frustration with what he described as a “lack of identity and defensive urgency” from his former team under Adelman’s interim leadership. The message, posted late Saturday night after the Nuggets’ Game 6 playoff loss to the Phoenix Suns, has sparked debate among analysts, fans, and former players.
“Watching this team feels like déjà vu in all the wrong ways,” Karl wrote. “Great talent, no discipline. Where’s the accountability? I know this franchise — it deserves more than just coasting on potential.”
David Adelman, the son of Hall of Fame coach Rick Adelman, was promoted to interim head coach after Michael Malone took a medical leave earlier this season. While he has been praised for maintaining locker room stability and managing star players like Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, critics — now including Karl — argue that the team has lacked a clear defensive identity during key postseason stretches.
George Karl’s remarks didn’t stop there. In a follow-up interview with a Dallas-based sports radio show, he questioned the Nuggets’ long-term planning.
“I love this city, and I’ll always root for the Nuggets,” Karl said. “But this idea that they’re just one piece away? No. The culture’s not right. Leadership starts at the top — and I don’t mean ownership, I mean the bench.”
Adelman, known for his calm and diplomatic demeanor, declined to respond directly but emphasized in Sunday’s press conference that the team is “focused internally” and committed to “building a lasting foundation that goes beyond this season.”
Karl’s comments come at a particularly tense time for the Nuggets, who face a crucial offseason full of decisions around coaching staff stability, contract renewals, and roster depth. With rumors swirling about whether Malone will return or if Adelman may be offered the full-time role, Karl’s message adds another layer of pressure and scrutiny.
As for Karl, his current role with the Mavericks — where he advises head coach Jason Kidd on strategy and player development — hasn’t stopped him from weighing in on league affairs. But this latest criticism, aimed at a coach still finding his footing, has many questioning whether the legendary coach is offering tough love or simply stirring controversy.