Through 79 games in 2024-25, the Denver Nuggets are 47-32. They are in a four-way tie for fourth place in the West. On Tuesday afternoon, the Nuggets made a shocking announcement.
Denver has fired head coach Michael Malone, the man who led them to their first-ever NBA championship just last year.
The timing couldn’t be more bizarre – just three games left in the regular season.
Along with Malone, the team also parted ways with GM Calvin Booth. Sources around the league say the two simply couldn’t agree on how to build the team’s roster.
Malone wasn’t just any coach. He spent 10 seasons in Denver and leaves as the winningest coach in franchise history.
So what went wrong?
Behind the scenes, a power struggle was brewing. Malone wanted veteran players on the court. Booth preferred developing young talent through the draft.
The tension got specific. Booth was reportedly “dismayed” that Malone kept playing veteran Russell Westbrook instead of giving minutes to rookie Jalen Pickett.
There were ownership issues too. While Booth apparently wanted to trade Michael Porter Jr., the team’s ownership refused to let him go.
Things had gotten pretty bad in the locker room. A press conference from two weeks ago has now gone viral, where Malone complained that none of his players were watching game film or even checking their minutes anymore.
Ownership hopes these dramatic firings will give the team a “jolt” heading into the playoffs.
It’s a really strange strategy with the postseason right around the corner.
Can it work? The oddsmakers don’t seem to think so. According to NBA sportsbook BetOnline, the Nuggets are now at +2000 to win the NBA Finals.
For a defending champion sitting fourth in the conference, that’s a pretty clear vote of no confidence.
