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‘Jokic deserves better’ – Nuggets tie 44-year NBA record as fans slam Michael Malone firing
The Denver Nuggets head coach is out. In a stunning move, Nuggets ownership handed head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth the pink slip on Tuesday afternoon just days before the playoffs begin. Malone had been the Nuggets head coach since 2015Getty Malone was the winningest coach in franchise history and led the Nuggets to their only championship back in 2023. Less than two years later, he has been shown the door. ESPN’s Shams Charania did his best to break down the shocking move on SportsCenter. “That’s the biggest component of this, is you’re days away from the NBA playoffs beginning,” Charania said. “My understanding is they felt kind of like the Grizzlies did with the departure of Taylor Jenkins, is igniting this team. “They’ve lost four games in a row. They’re now in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating and so they felt like the signs were there that this season was not going to end well. “And if you were going to make this decision at the end of the season to let go of Michael Malone and Calvin Booth and do a full reset, they’re getting out ahead of what they felt they were gonna do come the offseason. “Calvin Booth had really managed this team around young players the last couple years after winning that championship, saving money for ownership. “They had saved millions and millions of money in terms of tax over the last couple of years. “From Michael Malone’s perspective, he’s been trying to win a championship building around win-now players with Nicola Jokic. Malone won a championship with Denver less than two seasons agoGetty Malone (left) and Booth (right) were reported to have a rocky relationship with one another “So the fabric and what both sides had philosophically, there were some big differences there and so instead of biding time, instead of maybe letting go of one guy and keeping the other, the Nuggets Josh Kroenke today let go of both.” Denver is currently the fourth seed with three games to go. It is a jarring move that has shaken the NBA landscape as postseason play is set to begin. According to ESPN, it is tied for the latest coaching change in NBA history, matching Hubie Brown’s firing by the Atlanta Hawks in 1980-81. NBA insider Kevin O’Connor reported more on the relationship between Malone and Booth and how it was toxic and unhealthy. “Booth and Malone never liked each other, rarely spoke, and talked behind each other’s backs,” O’Connor posted on X. “With the team struggling on the court, Nuggets ownership decided to fire both. Insane.” Fans were shocked and upset as this now leaves Nikola Jokic on a team without its head coach and general manager going into the postseason and into the future. David Adelman will be the interim head coach to finish the season. “What an embarrassment. Nikola Jokic deserves better than whatever that franchise has done since winning the title,” one person commented on X. “I’m just glad Giannis and Jokic got theirs when they did,” someone else chimed in. “Hopefully Jokic is the next to leave. Incompetency in Denver right in the heart of the prime of one of the best players of all-time,” another person added.
The Denver Nuggets head coach is out.
In a stunning move, Nuggets ownership handed head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth the pink slip on Tuesday afternoon just days before the playoffs begin.
Malone was the winningest coach in franchise history and led the Nuggets to their only championship back in 2023.
Less than two years later, he has been shown the door.
ESPN’s Shams Charania did his best to break down the shocking move on SportsCenter.
“That’s the biggest component of this, is you’re days away from the NBA playoffs beginning,” Charania said.
“My understanding is they felt kind of like the Grizzlies did with the departure of Taylor Jenkins, is igniting this team.
“They’ve lost four games in a row. They’re now in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating and so they felt like the signs were there that this season was not going to end well.
“And if you were going to make this decision at the end of the season to let go of Michael Malone and Calvin Booth and do a full reset, they’re getting out ahead of what they felt they were gonna do come the offseason.
“Calvin Booth had really managed this team around young players the last couple years after winning that championship, saving money for ownership.
“They had saved millions and millions of money in terms of tax over the last couple of years.
“From Michael Malone’s perspective, he’s been trying to win a championship building around win-now players with Nicola Jokic.
“So the fabric and what both sides had philosophically, there were some big differences there and so instead of biding time, instead of maybe letting go of one guy and keeping the other, the Nuggets Josh Kroenke today let go of both.”
Denver is currently the fourth seed with three games to go.
It is a jarring move that has shaken the NBA landscape as postseason play is set to begin.
According to ESPN, it is tied for the latest coaching change in NBA history, matching Hubie Brown’s firing by the Atlanta Hawks in 1980-81.
NBA insider Kevin O’Connor reported more on the relationship between Malone and Booth and how it was toxic and unhealthy.
“Booth and Malone never liked each other, rarely spoke, and talked behind each other’s backs,” O’Connor posted on X.
“With the team struggling on the court, Nuggets ownership decided to fire both. Insane.”
Fans were shocked and upset as this now leaves Nikola Jokic on a team without its head coach and general manager going into the postseason and into the future.
David Adelman will be the interim head coach to finish the season.
“What an embarrassment. Nikola Jokic deserves better than whatever that franchise has done since winning the title,” one person commented on X.
“I’m just glad Giannis and Jokic got theirs when they did,” someone else chimed in.
“Hopefully Jokic is the next to leave. Incompetency in Denver right in the heart of the prime of one of the best players of all-time,” another person added.
