Fitting for this season, the Nuggets can offer no defense for their actions.
They became the most embarrassing franchise in town Tuesday — which is saying something with the Rockies down the street — by firing coach Michael Malone. Yes, general manager Calvin Booth was also dismissed, but that should have happened the moment the trade deadline passed without a move.
Malone deserved better.
He is the winningest coach in Nuggets history. He delivered the franchise’s only NBA championship. And Josh Kroenke, son of Stan, canned him with three games remaining in the regular season.
Regardless of the Nuggets’ current spiral, it is unprofessional and unnecessary.
Malone and Booth did not get along. It was an open secret. And their tension turned into disconnect over the past few weeks. (How did Jamal Murray go from day-to-day to week-to-week without notice?)
Everyone knew that if the Nuggets exited early in the playoffs, one or both were gone. Clearly, Kroenke reached his flashpoint. But there was a way to handle this with class for both men.
Malone, specifically, built up equity, a reservoir of goodwill. He should have been allowed to leave with dignity, not in a news release issued by the vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment minutes before the team boarded a charter to Sacramento.
Malone had his faults. But a pink slip with three games left? This is like ending a 10-year marriage with a text.
“It is another sad day for coaching in the NBA,” former Nuggets coach George Karl told The Denver Post. “Ten years ago, firing a successful coach was very unusual. Now the guy in Memphis got fired a couple of weeks ago. Then Malone. We all know Denver was struggling. But it’s on the players, the coach, the organization. To do it now is the wrong move.”
Kroenke insisted the decision came with deliberation, that it gives the Nuggets the best chance at “competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver and our fans everywhere.”
He believes this move can provide a spark. How cute. In truth, he took a blowtorch to the season.
The Nuggets will receive a bump for a few days with David Adelman, a worthy coaching candidate, in charge. Then they will get bounced in the playoffs.
Why not let Malone finish what he started?
There will be those who argue that there is never a good time for something like this. Yes, there is. It is after the season, which will be over in a few weeks unless Adelman — an offensive wizard — suddenly convinces the Nuggets to treat defense as something other than a hobby.
The Kroenke family has a history of winning championships with the Nuggets, Avs and Rams. They know how to run an organization. But their conduct in this instance is disturbing.
When things are bad, don’t hide. Fill the space. That is what leadership looks like. Want to fire Malone? Stunning. But OK. Then hold a news conference, Josh, explaining the decision. Don’t let one mistake become two.
And don’t confuse the point. This isn’t about the media. It is about demonstrating responsibility to your players, to your employees and to your fans. And no, talking to the team-owned TV station does not qualify as such. That is the definition of taking cover.
When the late Pat Bowlen fired Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, a two-time Super Bowl winner, he fielded questions for an hour. Then Shanahan was made available.
As of now, the first time a Nuggets official will speak to outside media is Wednesday when Adelman holds his pregame availability.
The Malone Years: A decade-long timeline of Michael Malone’s tenure in Denver
So, he gets a public grilling and is left to articulate the awkwardness? That is laughable. Say this: It fits with how the last coach was treated on his way out. People around the league will remember this for a long time.
As for Malone, as the losses mounted, his anger turned into helplessness. The players’ body language — lacking effort and an inability to finish — reflected poorly on him. And it always comes with this context: Nikola Jokic is having one of the greatest seasons in NBA history, and a potential six or seven seed is all the Nuggets will likely have to show for it?
But Malone did not assemble this roster. He would have never let Bruce Brown or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope go. He wanted a true backup for Jokic, not the ghost of Dario Saric. Malone gave Booth’s prized young players more opportunity and it led to sobering conclusions.
Beyond Christian Braun, none of them took a significant step forward or look like impact players. Throw in Murray’s awful, out-of-shape start to the season and Michael Porter Jr.’s maddening inconsistency, and it is no wonder Malone foolishly leaned on Russell Westbrook in clutch moments.
Malone’s demeanor and competitiveness are better suited for games once a week. But in the end, he won 510 times for the Nuggets. He guided them to six straight playoff berths. He will be a head coach next season for someone else — if he wants it.
His crime in Denver? He was too honest, too accountable. The same cannot be said for those who fired him.
Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.
