The Nuggets announced this afternoon they will not extend the contracts of their two chief front office executives, Rex Chapman and Mark Warkentien.
“Mark and Rex have played important roles in our success over the past several seasons,” KSE executive vice president Paul Andrews said in a news release. “However, after meeting with both individually in recent weeks, we decided it would be best for all parties to go their separate ways. We appreciate everything that each has done for the organization and wish them nothing but the very best in the future.
“We are in the process of evaluating and restructuring the Nuggets front office and have begun a search for possible replacements as we prepare for the upcoming season.”
When reached by phone today, Warkentien would not comment.
Warkentien, who joined the team before the 2005-06 season, was named the NBA’s executive of the year after the 2009 season when the Nuggets tied a team record with 54 wins and advanced to the Western Conference finals. He started as the Nuggets’ director of player personnel and was named vice president of basketball operations in September 2006.
Chapman was hired the same day Warkentien was promoted and has been the VP of player personnel since then. Chapman played 12 seasons in the NBA; he was the No. 8 overall pick in the 1988 draft by the expansion Charlotte Hornets.
“I had certainly been planning on returning, but I think that the franchise right now is at a point right now where they have the situation going on with Carmelo (Anthony’s contract) and they’re going to focus their energy on bringing in maybe some new blood to the process, and I don’t blame them for that,” Chapman said today.
The team has made it clear that Josh Kroenke, the current vice president of team development and future owner of the franchise, is expected to have a larger role in the front office starting this season.
