Nuggets fire coach Michael Malone, won't extend GM Calvin Booth

[sonnyhill]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44588997/nuggets-fire-coach-michael-malone-stunner

Nuggets fire coach Michael Malone, won't extend GM Calvin Booth
Ohm Youngmisuk
Apr 8, 2025, 01:34 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and said they would not extend general manager Calvin Booth's contract Tuesday, just days before the end of the regular season.

David Adelman, the Nuggets' lead assistant, will take over as head coach for the remainder of the season.

The shocking decision to fire the coach and eventually part ways with the general manager who won a championship in 2023 comes at a time when the Nuggets (47-32) have lost four straight games and are in danger of falling into the play-in. It has been a frustrating stretch for the Nuggets as three-time MVP and current MVP candidate Nikola Jokic has tried to keep things together while Jamal Murray has been out for five straight games with a hamstring injury.

There have been moments when players have shown emotions on the sideline, with even normally calm Jokic displaying rare frustration recently while on the bench trying to sort out the Nuggets' struggles. The Nuggets have gone 11-13 since the All-Star break.

Michael Malone's firing continues trend

After Michael Malone's firing Tuesday, four of the last six coaches to win the NBA Finals are no longer with the team with which they won a championship.

When the Nuggets entered this season, sources told ESPN that there was growing tension between Malone and Booth that grew into a "cold war." Since the team won the championship, the Nuggets have gone with younger role players such as Christian Braun and Peyton Watson around the team's core of Jokic, Murray and Aaron Gordon. Veterans such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown left in previous summers during free agency to sign bigger deals elsewhere.

Malone had been with the team for 10 seasons, leading the Nuggets to their lone NBA championship. He had a 471-327 record.

"This decision was not made lightly," Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, said in a team statement. "And was evaluated very carefully, and we do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver and our fans everywhere.

"While the timing of this decision is unfortunate, as Coach Malone helped build the foundation of our now championship-level program, it is a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now. Championship-level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season, and as we look to the future, we look forward to building on the foundations laid by Coach Malone over his record-breaking 10-year career in Denver."

Booth was promoted to be the Nuggets' GM for the past three seasons after Tim Connelly left for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Booth's first season was Denver's championship season in 2022-23.

"I want to thank Calvin Booth for leading our front office for the past three years," Kroenke said. "And most importantly for helping put the final pieces in place for the roster that delivered Denver and our fans their first NBA Championship. Calvin's knowledge of the game, his passion for scouting, and his long history as a player and executive in the NBA helped lift our organization to new heights which we will continue moving forward. We are grateful to Calvin for his eight years with the Nuggets and know his place in Nuggets history as our first championship-winning GM will be honored for years to come."

Adelman, a son of former head coach Rick Adelman, has been an assistant by Malone's side for eight seasons. He interviewed for head coaching vacancies with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers last summer.

Jokic now moves forward without the only head coach he has had for his entire career.

"There is no amount of gratitude that we can properly convey to his contributions since he joined our franchise in 2015," Kroenke said of Malone. "It is with our utmost respect that we would like to thank Coach Malone for the most successful decade in Nuggets history, setting the all-time wins record and helping deliver Denver our first championship."

ESPN's Shams Charania contributed to this report.

[Jester_]

what the hell is going on lol

can we get Malone back please

[vvoland]

what the hell is going on lol

can we get Malone back please

well, it worked so well in memphis

also, yes, let's hire malone as a 'consultant' for when we play Den in the playoffs. Seems like a no-brainer

[Jester_]

what the hell is going on lol

can we get Malone back please

well, it worked so well in memphis

also, yes, let's hire malone as a 'consultant' for when we play Den in the playoffs. Seems like a no-brainer

I wonder what the rules are against that

think there was a rule you can't hire coaches onto new teams this late in the season?

[HiRez]

This is nuts, never seen anything like this late in the season. Look out Kerr! This is why I'm fine with coaches getting ridiculous salaries, they are at some point going to have to take the fall for someone else's incompetence or impatience.

[HiRez]

One interesting thought experiment I'm sure many of us have had: would the Warriors have still won a bunch of championships if they hadn't swapped out Jackson for Kerr? By most metrics Jackson had the team on a great track, from the very cellar of the league to the cusp of contention. Their defense took a major leap. Some could argue yes, because they were already getting pretty good with a still very young Curry, Klay, and Draymond, Iguodala for only a short time, a Bogut coming back from injury, and David Lee as one of their best players. Some of the better role-players were yet to join and of course KD wasn't there yet. On the other hand, Kerr did institute the motion-offense built around screening for the guards, which obviously worked wonderfully and poured jet fuel on the offensive side.

[whatisacenter]

Love that the same Warriors' fan that is saying "what the hell is going on here" in regards to 1 time NBA champion coach Malone getting fired is also the same fan that wants to fire 4 time NBA champion coach Kerr.

[whatisacenter]

One interesting thought experiment I'm sure many of us have had: would the Warriors have still won a bunch of championships if they hadn't swapped out Jackson for Kerr? By most metrics Jackson had the team on a great track, from the very cellar of the league to the cusp of contention. Their defense took a major leap. Some could argue yes, because they were already getting pretty good with a still very young Curry, Klay, and Draymond, Iguodala for only a short time, a Bogut coming back from injury, and David Lee as one of their best players. Some of the better role-players were yet to join and of course KD wasn't there yet. On the other hand, Kerr did institute the motion-offense built around screening for the guards, which obviously worked wonderfully and poured jet fuel on the offensive side.

LOL, no!

MJax would have never got the Warriors over the hump to win a title.

Just stop! The guy was a POS and never got another HC job for good reason.

[Jester_]

Love that the same Warriors' fan that is saying "what the hell is going on here" in regards to 1 time NBA champion coach Malone getting fired is also the same fan that wants to fire 4 time NBA champion coach Kerr.

lol wtf is this comment

1. kerr has 4 rings so he's automatically better than anyone with less rings? what kinda double-digit iq ass logic is that?

2. i was commenting on the guy getting fired a week before the playoffs, dumbass

[whatisacenter]

Love that the same Warriors' fan that is saying "what the hell is going on here" in regards to 1 time NBA champion coach Malone getting fired is also the same fan that wants to fire 4 time NBA champion coach Kerr.

lol wtf is this comment

1. kerr has 4 rings so he's automatically better than anyone with less rings? what kinda double-digit iq ass logic is that?

2. i was commenting on the guy getting fired a week before the playoffs, dumbass

You know it's true...own it, stand on it!

You would throw a parade if the Warriors fired Kerr tomorrow.

[HiRez]

One interesting thought experiment I'm sure many of us have had: would the Warriors have still won a bunch of championships if they hadn't swapped out Jackson for Kerr? By most metrics Jackson had the team on a great track, from the very cellar of the league to the cusp of contention. Their defense took a major leap. Some could argue yes, because they were already getting pretty good with a still very young Curry, Klay, and Draymond, Iguodala for only a short time, a Bogut coming back from injury, and David Lee as one of their best players. Some of the better role-players were yet to join and of course KD wasn't there yet. On the other hand, Kerr did institute the motion-offense built around screening for the guards, which obviously worked wonderfully and poured jet fuel on the offensive side.

LOL, no!

MJax would have never got the Warriors over the hump to win a title.

Just stop! The guy was a POS and never got another HC job for good reason.

Oh, I definitely come down on that side of it as well. However, you can't deny the team rapidly improved under his regime. Yes, some of that was the arrival of Curry, Klay, and Draymond, but not all of it. You also have to wonder would some other coach, given the same rise of the Warriors championship players, been able to get to the same place?

[whatisacenter]

One interesting thought experiment I'm sure many of us have had: would the Warriors have still won a bunch of championships if they hadn't swapped out Jackson for Kerr? By most metrics Jackson had the team on a great track, from the very cellar of the league to the cusp of contention. Their defense took a major leap. Some could argue yes, because they were already getting pretty good with a still very young Curry, Klay, and Draymond, Iguodala for only a short time, a Bogut coming back from injury, and David Lee as one of their best players. Some of the better role-players were yet to join and of course KD wasn't there yet. On the other hand, Kerr did institute the motion-offense built around screening for the guards, which obviously worked wonderfully and poured jet fuel on the offensive side.

LOL, no!

MJax would have never got the Warriors over the hump to win a title.

Just stop! The guy was a POS and never got another HC job for good reason.

Oh, I definitely come down on that side of it as well. However, you can't deny the team rapidly improved under his regime. Yes, some of that was the arrival of Curry, Klay, and Draymond, but not all of it. You also have to wonder would some other coach, given the same rise of the Warriors championship players, been able to get to the same place?

Maybe

[Jester_]

Love that the same Warriors' fan that is saying "what the hell is going on here" in regards to 1 time NBA champion coach Malone getting fired is also the same fan that wants to fire 4 time NBA champion coach Kerr.

lol wtf is this comment

1. kerr has 4 rings so he's automatically better than anyone with less rings? what kinda double-digit iq ass logic is that?

2. i was commenting on the guy getting fired a week before the playoffs, dumbass

You know it's true...own it, stand on it!

You would throw a parade if the Warriors fired Kerr tomorrow.

if he got fired after the playoffs i would lead the parade

if he got fired today I'd assume our front office are **** in the head. firing a coach right before the playoffs is egregiously dumb

[Nvnervous45]

Yeah, but the question is who would you hire? It's easier to fire than replace a coach.

[marthafokker]

Yeah, but the question is who would you hire? It's easier to fire than replace a coach.

Can I propose a Kerr + 1st for Lue?

[HiRez]

Now Jokic will be sick of the turmoil and come to the Warriors, perfect. Jokic + Curry would be the greatest tandem of all time.

[GQ Hot Dog]

One interesting thought experiment I'm sure many of us have had: would the Warriors have still won a bunch of championships if they hadn't swapped out Jackson for Kerr? By most metrics Jackson had the team on a great track, from the very cellar of the league to the cusp of contention. Their defense took a major leap. Some could argue yes, because they were already getting pretty good with a still very young Curry, Klay, and Draymond, Iguodala for only a short time, a Bogut coming back from injury, and David Lee as one of their best players. Some of the better role-players were yet to join and of course KD wasn't there yet. On the other hand, Kerr did institute the motion-offense built around screening for the guards, which obviously worked wonderfully and poured jet fuel on the offensive side.

LOL, no!

MJax would have never got the Warriors over the hump to win a title.

Just stop! The guy was a POS and never got another HC job for good reason.

Oh, I definitely come down on that side of it as well. However, you can't deny the team rapidly improved under his regime. Yes, some of that was the arrival of Curry, Klay, and Draymond, but not all of it. You also have to wonder would some other coach, given the same rise of the Warriors championship players, been able to get to the same place?

The difference is that Kerr put in an offensive system/style that was brand new. Kerr saw that because of Steph and Klay, relentlessly exploiting the additional 50% value of the 3pter made it the best shot possible. They went from an ORTG of 107.5 under Jackson to 111.6 the next year under Kerr. From a 96.2 pace under Jackson to 98.3, tops in the league, under Kerr.

Now, because of the Warriors dynasty, everyone knows what kind of success can be had by featuring great 3pt shooting. Would "some other coach" have been able to change the face of the NBA like that? It would have happened eventually, but it was Kerr's Warriors that short-circuited the NBA and won four championships doing it. I don't think it's an overstatement to call Kerr a visionary coach when he came in.

Bear in mind, in a league that's always been dominated by top end physical talent, Kerr found a way to pilot a team with mediocre to poor physical talent to a four championship dynasty. I remember back in the day how much we hoped Barnes would develop into the dynamic athletic scorer the team was missing. In hindsight that's laughable as Barnes was really a middling athletic talent even in his prime.

[superunknown]

they have lost the plot in the league.

[GQ Hot Dog]

they have lost the plot in the league.

Welcome to the Trump-era NBA.

[michaelm]

This is nuts, never seen anything like this late in the season. Look out Kerr! This is why I'm fine with coaches getting ridiculous salaries, they are at some point going to have to take the fall for someone else's incompetence or impatience.

Booth +/- the ownership are the culpable parties, they dismantled a title winning team immediately after winning a single title as the press release notes.