Less than two years removed from winning an NBA Championship, Mike Malone will no longer coach the Nuggets.
Denver parted ways with its head coach on Tuesday afternoon, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The move comes as a surprise on a number of fronts, including the timing. The Nuggets have just three games left to play in the regular season; they currently have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference.
Malone had spent a decade with Denver, leading the franchise to its first title in 2023. Under his watch, the team went 471-327 (.590 winning percentage). However, the Nuggets (47-32) regressed on a number of fronts this season, especially on defense. The team recorded a defensive rating of 115.1, 11th-worst in basketball. If not for the play of superstar Nikola Jokic, Denver’s record would likely rank near the bottom of the Western Conference.
Denver wasn’t done after firing Malone; Charania reported that general manager Calvin Booth would be let go as well. The executive had spent three seasons with the franchise, beginning during the 2022-23 championship campaign.
By cleaning house, the Nuggets are signaling a new direction going forward. It will be fascinating to see how the team plays under interim head coach David Adelman in the postseason. Following Tuesday’s news, Denver’s odds of winning the NBA Finals sit at +1800 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
