In shocking move, Nuggets fire head coach Malone, GM Calvin Booth as playoffs loom

The Denver Nuggets made a shocking move on Tuesday, firing head coach Michael Malone less than a week before the end of the regular season. Malone, who led the team to an NBA title in 2023 and has had eight consecutive winning seasons, was let go along with general manager Calvin Booth, whose contract will not be renewed. David Adelman will take over as the coach for the remainder of the season.

Josh Kroenke, the vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, expressed his regret over the decision to replace Malone. He stated that the move was made with the intention of giving the team the best chance to compete for the 2025 NBA Championship and bring another title to Denver.

The Nuggets currently have a record of 47-32 with three games left in the season. Despite their success, they have lost four consecutive games and are in a tight race for home-court advantage in the playoffs. Malone took responsibility for the recent losses, acknowledging that he had not been performing his job to the best of his ability.

Star player Nikola Jokic, who has won three of the last four NBA MVP awards, has been having a historic season with impressive stats. However, even his outstanding performance has not been enough to secure the Nuggets’ position in the playoffs.

Malone had the fourth-longest tenure of any active NBA coach and had led the Nuggets to consistent success over the years. The team has made the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons under his leadership, reaching the Western Conference finals in 2020 and winning the championship in 2023.

Despite the timing of the decision being unfortunate, Kroenke emphasized the need to make changes in order to compete at the highest level. He praised Malone for his contributions to the team and expressed confidence in building on the foundation he had laid.

The firing of Malone and Booth comes shortly after the Memphis Grizzlies also replaced their head coach. The Nuggets will now look to move forward with a new coaching staff and management team as they continue their pursuit of another NBA title.

The Nuggets are set to play their next game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Fans will be watching closely to see how the team performs under their new coaching leadership.