Report: Mike Malone lands 2nd interview with Nuggets, D'Antoni could follow

Mike Malone may have his vindication yet.

Fired by the Sacramento Kings in mid-December under what were perceived to be unfair circumstances - the team had cooled from a hot start after DeMarcus Cousins hit the shelf - Malone suffered little reputational damage from the short tenure. His absence from the NBA sidelines may prove even more brief than his 106-game stint as the Kings' coach.

Malone is set to interview with the Denver Nuggets for a second time, according to a report from Marc Stein of ESPN.

Multiple reports earlier in the week created the image of a wide net being cast by the Nuggets front office as they look to change the organizational culture and, in all likelihood, continue to further shakeup the roster this summer. That search has included interviews for Washington Wizards assistant Don Newman and Los Angeles Clippers assistant Mike Woodson, but Malone's competition may be down to two names.

Mike D'Antoni is expected to get a second interview, too, and interim head coach Melvin Hunt remains in contention for the job, according to Stein. It was believed Hunt was inching closer to keeping the job, which he inherited when Brian Shaw was fired in March, as recently as late May but this now seems an open three-horse race.

D'Antoni is the most intriguing name from an entertainment perspective, as his up-tempo offense could be a lot of fun at high altitude. He would need to extend his rotation beyond the typically small group of players he likes to use, but a Denver team running opponents into the ground at home could be a huge competitive advantage.

That's not to say Malone would be a disappointing choice. He has a strong reputation for his work on the defensive end and was the first NBA coach to earn the trust of Cousins. What he can do with a rebuilding team is unclear, but he was hardly given a fair opportunity to show what he can do in the River City.