DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets revamped their front office Monday by promoting interim general manager Ben Tenzer to executive vice president of basketball operations and bringing in Minnesota’s Jonathan Wallace to serve as the executive VP of basketball operations.

The announcement was made by the team days before an NBA draft where the Nuggets don't have a first-round pick. Tenzer and Wallace will try to find creative ways to build depth around a nucleus that includes three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun.

Tenzer was named interim GM in April when Josh Kroenke, the vice chairman Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, made a stunning move by firing the team's all-time winningest coach, Michael Malone, and general manager Calvin Booth with three games left in the regular season. Malone led the Nuggets to their lone NBA title in 2023.

David Adelman stepped in as interim coach and landed the full-time gig last month after steering the team in the right direction. The Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games and then took the newly crowned NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 7 in the second round before bowing out of the playoffs.

“Ben did a terrific job leading the organization as the interim general manager during a challenging stretch, and it was clear during that time that he had earned the respect of our players, coaches, staff and his peers,” Josh Kroenke said in a statement. "In spending time with Jon, his leadership, quiet confidence and relationship-oriented mindset stood out and we are excited to bring such a fast-rising executive back home to Denver.”

ESPN first reported the hiring of Tenzer and Wallace.

Tenzer is entering his 17th season with the organization, the last four as the VP of basketball operations. He worked with Booth on all aspects of the game. He also was the GM of the Nuggets’ G-League affiliate the Grand Rapids Gold for the last two seasons.

Wallace rejoins the Nuggets after three seasons as the director of player personnel for the Timberwolves. In addition, he was the GM of Minnesota's G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves.

Before his time in Minnesota, Wallace was a scouting coordinator for the Nuggets. He originally joined the organization as a basketball operations associate in 2019.

“We have the utmost confidence in both Ben and Jon,” owner E. Stanley Kroenke said in a statement. “They have been integral parts of our team already, so we know their dedication and hard work first-hand and we’re looking forward to their continued growth and the vision they have for this team.”

Mickey Moniak's 3-run homer helps MLB-worst Rockies avoid sweep with 4-2 win over D-backs

DENVER (AP) — Mickey Moniak hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run fifth inning, Antonio Senzatala won his second straight start, and the major league-worst Colorado Rockies snapped a three-game skid with a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

The Rockies (18-60) avoided the worst record through 78 games in the modern era. The 1907 St. Louis Cardinals and 1932 Detroit Tigers also went 18-60.

Moniak hit a first-pitch changeup from Brandon Pfaadt (8-5) 385 feet down the right-field line to make it 4-2. It was his second homer of the three-game series and 11th of the season.

Senzatela (3-10) gave up two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He had won once in 14 starts before beating Washington on Tuesday.

Randal Grichuk had two hits and two RBIs for the D-backs, who were attempting to move three games over .500 for the first time since May 20.

Arizona's Eugenio Suárez doubled to extend his extra-base hit streak to four games. He is 10 for 18 with four homers, two doubles and nine RBIs over that stretch.

Seth Halvorsen retired Ketel Marte on a fly ball with a runner on second in the ninth for his sixth save, and the Rockies’ Tyler Freeman extended his hitting streak to a career-best 10 games.

Pfaadt has given up 22 earned runs in his last 18 innings.

Key moment

Moniak appeared to be sitting on Pfaadt’s changeup, one of nine he threw to left-handed hitters.

Key stat

The Rockies' bullpen gave up one hit in 3 2/3 scoreless innings

Up next

Diamondbacks: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-4, 5.93 ERA) is to oppose White Sox RHP Shane Smith (3-4, 2.85) in the first of a three-game series at Chicago.

Rockies: RHP German Marquez (3-8, 6.11) will start Tuesday's opener of a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

Rebuilding Pac-12 reaches deal with CBS for its football and men's basketball games

The Pac-12 struck a media-rights deal with CBS on Monday that sets up the network to broadcast a minimum of four football and men's basketball games per season on its main network and provide a cable and streaming presence for the reconfigured league from 2026-31.

Financial details of the new deal were not disclosed. Conference Commissioner Teresa Gould called it a “transformational partnership” that allows the Pac-12 to grow when it starts as a remodeled league in 2026-27.

An inability to secure a media deal is what nearly cratered the league in 2023, with all but Oregon State and Washington State departing for the Big 12, Atlantic Coast and Big Ten Conferences.

The Pac-12 already had deals in place to put all of the two remaining teams' football games on the CW, ESPN and CBS for the upcoming season.

The new deal with what the league calls its “primary long-term media partner” kicks in the next season, when Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State and San Diego State will join the Pac-12 in all sports, with Gonzaga joining in everything but football.

The Pac-12 needs to add another football program to reach the minimum eight teams necessary to be in the Football Bowl Subdivision and, thus, the College Football Playoff. Multiple reports say Texas State has emerged as the top candidate.

Under the new deal, CBS will broadcast at least three regular-season football and men's basketball games per season, along with the championship games for both sports. The league also will have what it called a “consistent regular-season presence” on the cable CBS Sports Network.

Details are still being finalized as Pac-12 media negotiator, Octagon, works on finding additional media partners for the league.

Two-way college star Travis Hunter signs 4-year, $46.6M rookie contract with the Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Two-way college star and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, the second overall pick in April's NFL draft, signed a four-year, $46.6 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The deal includes a $30.5 million signing bonus.

Hunter had been one of three unsigned first-round picks, including Cincinnati edge rusher Shemar Stewart (17th overall) and Denver cornerback Jahdae Barron (20th).

Under the NFL's slotting system, Hunter is expected to get $840,000 in base salary as a rookie, with his contract rising to $2.96 million in Year 2, $5.08 million in his third season and $7.20 million in his fourth. Like all first-round draft picks, Hunter's deal includes a club option for a fifth year.

The Jaguars traded up three spots to select the former Colorado standout in the draft and are counting on him to help change the fate of the floundering franchise. And they expect him to play both receiver and cornerback as he did at Colorado and Jackson State.

Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns last season for the Buffaloes and notched 35 tackles, 11 pass breakups, eight forced incompletions and four interceptions while allowing just one touchdown.

The Jaguars traded up three spots to draft Hunter and intend to use him on both sides of the ball this fall, planning to have him working as a slot receiver on offense and as a cornerback in certain packages on defense. It’s familiar territory for someone who played more snaps (1,461) than anyone else in college football in 2024.