Shams: Nuggets Fire Malone & Booth

[Blame Rasho]

This is what should happen… Jenkins gets hired by the Nuggets and Malone gets hired by the Grizzlies.

[Marvin Martian]

I think DEN needs to seriously consider trading Jokic. There is no realistic path to retool around Jokic with Murray and MPJ taking up cap space for at least the next 3 years.

Sure you may not ever draft a player as good as Jokic, but championships are won by the best team not the best player.

I think it's a little early for that. They need to try their best to build a sustainable contender this offseason by breaking up MPJ or Murray into smaller deals, hoping the other has a better year going forward and that Braun takes another step. Durant is not the path to a sustainable contender and if anything speeds up Jokic's exit. It would basically make them Bucks West.

No team is taking those toxic contracts without draft picks added in. But draft picks have much more value to DEN because they are not a premier FA destination.

It is better to take the L now, then watch Jokic leave for nothing

[Exp0sed]

4 game losing streak causes them to fire the dude who got them that banner hanging in Ball Arena.

they hung it in spite of him, he's a really bad coach. he's going to be to being an assistant coach in a few years. you'll see he want stick it out as a HC.

the man who got them that banner is Nikola Jokic and he did it almost in spite of Mike Malone, not because of him.

[Exp0sed]

4 game losing streak causes them to fire the dude who got them that banner hanging in Ball Arena.

they hung it in spite of him, he's a really bad coach. he's going to be back to being an assistant coach in a few years. you'll see he won't stick as a HC, will be fired quickly from the next one, just like he was in Sacramento (before Denver)

the man who got them that banner is Nikola Jokic and he did it almost in spite of Mike Malone, not because of him.

[MarcusBrody]

Just looking at the roster right now. This has to be the biggest whiff of all time, acquiring talent when having an all time great.

10 years in, Jokic has never played alongside a current All NBA player, let alone a single All Star. And not just that, but 10 years into his career, they have 50% of the cap tied up in Jamal Murray and MPJ.

"

Through Hakeems first 10 years, which included 1 title like jokic, he had 1 teammate who finished top 20 in either PER, WS48 or BPM. And it was Kenny smith, who finished exactly 20th in WS48 in 1991 (and wasn't top 30 in the others. )

He did have Ralph Sampson at the beginning of his career when Sampson was a 4x All Star, 2nd team All NBA, and finished (just) Top 10 in the MVP voting. Then he got hurt and there was a definite dry spell in Rocket talent outside Hakeem.

[Beethoven]

SHAMS: DONCIC TO THE LAKERS
Me: Checking to see if it was April 1st -> It wasn't ->
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SHAMS: mCnUGGETZ FIRE mALONE
Me: Checking to see if it was April 1st -> It wasn't ->

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All is right with this world.


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[Sgt Major]

Jokic just straight up QUIT on his team 3 games before the playoffs.

Are you serious?

Read on Twitter

[Johnny Firpo]

It kind of makes sense that they are both fired, since they made it personal between them in the past, and everyone knew they didn't really respect each other. But yeah, the timing of it is very interesting.

[BelgradeNugget]

For people questioning this move, Malone was activly undermining team this year. He was stubborn in his fight to prove point against Booth. He couldn't be this bad as a coach. It has to be more. Some things for people who don't follow the Nuggets.

Last year in the playoffs Nuggets crumbled vs Wolves in the game 7. Lost 20 pt lead in 2nd half. Wolves played great and deserved win but Nuggets were exhaused. KCP said after the season they were so fatigued they should have lost to Lakers which is truth. Jokic played 48 minutes in that game. Malone refused to play Watson who played great against Naz Reed in one of the last games of rs last year against the same Minnesota. So in the end Wolfes outhustled Nuggets for O boards and won game. Why?

So after that experiance what did Malone do? All of his starters are playing career high minutes this year. Jokic is #5 in min., Murray #9 in the league. Post all star Jokic #1, Murray #3, Braun #15, MPJ#25. Jokic is averaging 43 minutes per game in his last 3, just to be exhaused for playoffs. Malone is killing them.

Anyone questioning this decision by Nuggets should just look at Nuggets lineup and spaciong in the last possession against Pacers. On the floor Jokic/Braun/AG/Watson?/Westbrook???. On the bench MPJ, Strawther. Nuggets needed to score. He has done this multiple times this year. Against Blazers when they needed to defend in the last possession Westbrook was on Simons, Braun and Watson two best Nuggets perimeter defenders on bench.

Every Nuggets fan knew Nnaji was 4. Can't rebound or play as pnr roller. He can do a lot of good things as 4. After 10 games strach when Malone had to play him as 4 and we actually find out he can be good, Malone started to play him out of position again. Watson is best as 3. Bad rebounder. Malone likes to play Watson at 4 and Nnaji at 5 and then screem about rebounds.

Nuggets fans didn't know is Pickett NBA player. Due to injuries he got his chance. In Nuggets game vs Pacers his netrtg in 24 minutes was + 18.0. Westbrook was -21.1 in 24 minutes.

But the game Malone sold his players was on 15/3/2025 against Minnesota. In the game before Nuggets beat OKC on the road played one of the best games of the season without Murray. Against Wolves he starts Westbrook instead of Watson or Nnaji. Rendale was killing them as expected and all momentum was lost. That was the moment he should have been fired. But better late than never.

I couldn't be more happy as Nuggets fan, this is the best news in quite some time.

[Tracymcgoaty]

Jokic just straight up QUIT on his team 3 games before the playoffs.

Are you serious?

Read on Twitter

Jokic should coach the team. He'd probably draw up plays that doesn't revolve around him being the serbian superman.

[LeBronSpaghetti]

Malone always wanted to be a Popovich type coach. One franchise, multiple chips, one of the goat coaches all time with one of the goat big men of all time.

Problem is he did more talking about that than executing. I like Malone and think he’s a good coach, but he had some major mistakes and the defense/bench was simply inexcusable.

Its a talent issue. Not coaching. Malone and his coaching staff were some of the best in the league

Why did the Nuggets fall off a cliff this season? Why did they go from the 7th ranked defense to 20th ranked defense?

[WestbrookGOATed]

4 game losing streak causes them to fire the dude who got them that banner hanging in Ball Arena.

Coach Budenholzer says hi. But we can't pretend Jokic and Giannis aren't responsible for bringing those teams championships lol.

[bovice]

didn't jokic push for Denver to extend Murray? that's really what prevented jokic from winning multiple rings, not Malone.

[levon]

Malone always wanted to be a Popovich type coach. One franchise, multiple chips, one of the goat coaches all time with one of the goat big men of all time.

Problem is he did more talking about that than executing. I like Malone and think he’s a good coach, but he had some major mistakes and the defense/bench was simply inexcusable.

Its a talent issue. Not coaching. Malone and his coaching staff were some of the best in the league

Why did the Nuggets fall off a cliff this season? Why did they go from the 7th ranked defense to 20th ranked defense?

Brother their backup center is Deandre Jordan. They lost a key perimeter defender in KCP. Gordon is not the same. Teams have learned how to attack the Nuggets' core. Jokic is not a great defender. There are a litany of reasons that have nothing to do with scheme.

[scrabbarista]

Jokic just straight up QUIT on his team 3 games before the playoffs.

Are you serious?

Read on Twitter

Should've averaged 50 on 80% TS%.

45 on 73% is for quitters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Saints14]

This is what should happen… Jenkins gets hired by the Nuggets and Malone gets hired by the Grizzlies.

At least Jenkins cares about developing young guys into quality role players…could you imagine Jokic surrounded by 8 guys like Bane, Clarke, Wells, etc?

[Hoop Hunter]

Firing the coach a few weeks before the playoff, smart. Uh, what, wait, that's **** stupid.

The GM should have been fired before the season started.

[Blame Rasho]

This is what should happen… Jenkins gets hired by the Nuggets and Malone gets hired by the Grizzlies.

And they face each other in the 3/6 or 4/5 match ups.

[PlatinumState]

Surely this will help Denvers playoff run in a positive way lol

[scrabbarista]

For people questioning this move, Malone was activly undermining team this year. He was stubborn in his fight to prove point against Booth. He couldn't be this bad as a coach. It has to be more. Some things for people who don't follow the Nuggets.

Last year in the playoffs Nuggets crumbled vs Wolves in the game 7. Lost 20 pt lead in 2nd half. Wolves played great and deserved win but Nuggets were exhaused. KCP said after the season they were so fatigued they should have lost to Lakers which is truth. Jokic played 48 minutes in that game. Malone refused to play Watson who played great against Naz Reed in one of the last games of rs last year against the same Minnesota. So in the end Wolfes overhustled Nuggets for O boards and won game. Why?

So after that experiance what did Malone do? All of his starters are playing career high minutes this year. Jokic is #5 in min. in NBA, Murray #9. Post all star Jokic #1, Murray #3, Braun #15, MPJ#25. Jokic is averaging 43 minutes per game in his last 3, just to be exhaused for playoffs. Malone is killing them.

Anyone questioning this decision by Nuggets should just look at Nuggets lineup and spaciong in the last possession against Pacers. On the floor Jokic/Braun/AG/Watson?/Westbrook???. On the bench MPJ, Strawther. Nuggets needed to score. He has done this multiple times this year. Against Blazers when they needed to defend in the last possession Westbrook was on Simons, Braun and Watson two best Nuggets perimeter defenders on bench.

Every Nuggets fan knew Nnaji was 4. Can't rebound or play as pnr roller. He can do a lot of good things as 4. After 10 games strach when Malone had to play him as 4 and we actually find out he can be good, Malone started to play him out of position again. Watson is best as 3. Bad rebounder. Malone likes to play Watson at 4 and Nnaji at 5 and then screem about rebounds.

Nuggets fans didn't know is Pickett NBA player. Due to injuries he got his chance. In Nuggets game vs Pacers his netrtg in 24 minutes was + 18.0. Westbrook was -21.1 in 24 minutes.

But the game Malone sold his players was on 15/3/2025 against Minnesota. In the game before Nuggets beat OKC on the road played one of the best games of the season without Murray. Against Wolves he starts Westbrook instead of Watson or Nnaji. Rendale was killing them as expected and all momentum was lost. That was the moment he should have been fired. But better late than never.

I couldn't be more happy as Nuggets fan, this is the best news in quites some time.

All facts.