In a surprising move, the Denver Nuggets have fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth. This announcement comes just days before the conclusion of the regular NBA season.
David Adelman, previously the Nuggets` top assistant coach, will step in to lead the team as head coach for the remainder of the season.
This unexpected decision to let go of both the coach and the general manager, who were instrumental in securing the 2023 championship, arrives as the Nuggets, with a 47-32 record, are on a four-game losing streak and facing the possibility of entering the play-in tournament. The team`s recent performance has been marked by frustration, despite the efforts of Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP and current MVP frontrunner, to maintain stability while Jamal Murray has been sidelined for five consecutive games due to a hamstring injury.
Tensions have been visible among players on the sidelines, with even the typically composed Jokic expressing unusual frustration while on the bench, grappling with the Nuggets` current difficulties. The Nuggets` record since the All-Star break is 11 wins and 13 losses.
Sources informed ESPN that internal friction between Malone and Booth had been building since the start of the season, described as a `cold war.` Since their championship victory, the Nuggets have increasingly integrated younger players like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson alongside their core players Jokic, Murray, and Aaron Gordon. Veterans such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown had previously departed in free agency for more lucrative contracts elsewhere.
Malone`s tenure with the team spanned 10 seasons, during which he guided the Nuggets to their first NBA championship and achieved a 471-327 win-loss record. Denver has also announced they will not be extending Booth`s contract.
Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, clarified that Malone`s firing was not a reaction to any single event.
`There were concerning patterns that I observed at various times,` Kroenke stated on Altitude TV. `However, these were often overshadowed by occasional wins, and in professional sports, where wins and losses are paramount, winning can obscure underlying issues.`
The Nuggets entered the All-Star break on an eight-game winning streak but have since only managed an 11-13 record. Kroenke acknowledged the `unfortunate` timing of the decision but expressed hope that this change might invigorate the team as they head into the playoffs.
`I believe this team is capable of more than what they have shown recently,` he added. `Exactly how much more potential this group holds is uncertain, but I have faith that there is untapped potential, and I am eager to see what they can achieve.`
Booth had been promoted to the position of Nuggets` GM three seasons ago, succeeding Tim Connelly after his move to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Booth`s first year as GM coincided with Denver`s championship season in 2022-23.
In separate statements released on Tuesday, Kroenke expressed gratitude to both Malone and Booth for their contributions in bringing the team`s only championship to Denver.
Adelman, son of former head coach Rick Adelman, has served as an assistant under Malone for eight years. Last summer, he was considered for head coaching positions with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jokic now faces the future without the only head coach he has ever had in his NBA career.
`Words cannot adequately express our appreciation for Michael`s contributions since he joined our organization in 2015,` Kroenke stated regarding Malone. `With immense respect, we thank Coach Malone for leading the most successful decade in Nuggets history, achieving a record number of wins, and delivering Denver its first championship.`
