Shams: Nuggets Fire Malone & Booth

[BelgradeNugget]

So do we think something else is going on here? that theres some bad story bubbling under the surface that is soon to become public? If thats not the case, none of this makes any sense

There was cold war between Malone and Booth for almost 2 years and it looks like it boiled and Josh Kroenke fired both. And Malone lost locker room like 1-2 months ago.

[levon]

For everyone here saying the Nuggets should’ve waited until after the playoffs to fire Malone… this is like waiting a month and a half to break up with your girlfriend because her birthday is coming up. If you already know you’re going to do it then just do it.

It's not like that at all. Creating upheaval with a team before the playoffs is basically punting the playoffs in front of the team and fanbase. You're basically saying "well, we were gonna lose anyway."

Also kind of an unflattering look for candidates. The perception now is that Denver is chaotic. They're going to need someone with a pre-existing relationship with Jokic imo in either the FO or coaching.

[ryguy613]

For everyone here saying the Nuggets should’ve waited until after the playoffs to fire Malone… this is like waiting a month and a half to break up with your girlfriend because her birthday is coming up. If you already know you’re going to do it then just do it.

It's not like that at all. Creating upheaval with a team before the playoffs is basically punting the playoffs in front of the team and fanbase. You're basically saying "well, we were gonna lose anyway."

yes, exactly. youre basically conceding that this season is over for you and its time to move on to the next... which is an INSANE thing to do 3 games away from the playoffs when you're the 4 seed and have probably the best player in basketball on your team. it just doesnt make sense. even if you HATE Malone, and youre SURE hes not gonna be there next season, youd be crazy to think nuking the coaching staff right before the playoffs makes winning a title MORE likely. so youre just punting the season. its all very bizarre.

[Jasen777]

Calvin Booth. WIZARDS LEGEND.

Mavs Legend Calvin Booth.

[Domejandro]

The Nuggets have been worse than the sum of their parts all season. Period. I don't know how you could argue otherwise. Every player in the starting lineup has had at least one 30+ point game, even multiple from AG/MPJ. Westbrook too off the bench.

Despite that there hasn't been any semblance of these players being able to play together. The vibes have just been bad since the start of the season - that starts somewhere.

It was inevitable that this would happen after the playoffs. A little shocked its happening now.

I have to be honest, especially with all of the injuries, Denver really hasn’t underperformed. The roster pretty much stinks.

1. Jamal Murray is a decent starting Point-Guard who has injury issues.
2. Christian Braun is a solid player who plays well off of Jokić.
3. Michael Porter Jr. is a great fit next to Nikola Jokić, but is obviously a disaster defensively.
4. Aaron Gordon is a good player, but has definitely lost a step. Missed thirty games this season.
5. Nikola Jokić is the best player in the world.
6. Russell Westbrook is an inconsistent bench guy, definitely not sixth-man material.
7. Payton Watson is an interesting prospect.
8. Julian Strawther is not ready to be a rotational piece.
9. Deandre Jordan is pretty much cooked, it’s absurd that he is Jokić’s the primary backup.
10. Jalen Pickett is not ready to be a rotational piece.
11. The rest are not worth noting (that includes Zeke Nnaji, despite him getting fans excited for a brief stint).


Outside of Nikola Jokić, there are zero players on that roster who are even on the fringe of being All-Star caliber. Denver’s starting lineup leaves a ton to be desired defensively. They have zero consistent depth, losing KCP was the nail in the coffin. Multiple players have thirty point games because somebody has to score!

Zero depth. Zero star power. Subpar defense. Consistently Injured. No assets. Fortunately, Nikola Jokić is one of the team greatest players in NBA history, so it is far from hopeless, but that roster honestly blows. It’s honestly a testament to his greatness as a player that Denver is in the Playoff conversation.

[Jasen777]

We need Giannis and Jokic team up

Giannis, Jokic, Luka teamup. Euro player empowerment.

[Wolfgang630]

Joker has played his whole career never having a true 2nd player who is an All Star and it all falls on management.

[TinmanZBoy]

Josh Kroenke is a basketball people, not some dummy owners who only have money but know little about basketball?

[tsherkin]

Zero depth. Zero star power. Subpar defense. No assets. Fortunately, Nikola Jokić is one of the team greatest players in NBA history, so it is far from hopeless, but that roster honestly blows.

And financially, they have like $203 mil committed next year, give or take POs for Saric and Westbrook, and $193 mil in 2027. Murray's extension is AWFUL. He's at $50-62 mil over the next four seasons, which is a savage overpay for his availability and proficiency. Like, if Jokic takes his PO in 27/28, he'll be getting paid as much as Murray is in 28/29, which is INSANE.

So Denver is NOT well-positioned to change things at all going forward, which is not good.

[BelgradeNugget]

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.

I don't buy that. Denver played real TEAM ball in their Championship run, the role players played their roles perfectly, so I'd think that some of that credit goes to the coach for piecing it together. Not saying that Malone is a great coach but he's not a really bad coach.

Just about every coach had a Hall of Fame player or two carry them to titles, it doesn't make them bad coaches because they had great players lead them to championships. The timing of this is stupid, just a few weeks before the playoffs because they had a losing skid with no Jamal Murray mind you. The only way this makes sense, just like with Memphis, is if Morant and Jokic demanded a change in which case you have to listen to your star player.

This is exectly why. From that championship team they still have Jokic, Murray, MPJ, AG, Braun. Watson, DJ, Nnaji, Cancar weren't playing but they were there. They lost Brown and KCP. Now they don't play as a team, don't play hard, don't listen to their coach, and there is a reason why. He lost locker room. Simple.

[bkkrh]

For everyone here saying the Nuggets should’ve waited until after the playoffs to fire Malone… this is like waiting a month and a half to break up with your girlfriend because her birthday is coming up. If you already know you’re going to do it then just do it.

This would be true if the outcome of the Playoffs couldn't completely impact his perception. Coaches that had great regular seasons got fired for horrible playoff runs. The same way coaches completely changed perspective through deep playoff runs.

Let's say the Nuggets make it to the finals with Malone, or win another title in the end. They would definitely not fire him afterwards.

Personally I'm not a fan of this situation. It reminds me kind of coach firings in soccer, but there it normally happens when teams are fighting to avoid relegation to a lower league, when it's more about getting the team motivated to give everything every game and having the impression that the current coach isn't reaching the team anymore.

I don't really see this working in a Playoff series against the best teams in the league. Especially if the replacement is team's assistant head coach for 8 seasons. So he is almost as long with the team than Malone was your head coach. Isn't he then also a part of the problem they apparently saw?

[TinmanZBoy]

Joker has played his whole career never having a true 2nd player who is an All Star and it all falls on management.

While that Murray dude played like final MVP for two playoff runs… I would take him over dudes who are all stars but don’t perform in playoffs

[BigGargamel]

Wow. I'm in shock. This is going to be an interesting off-season.

[LeBronSpaghetti]

For everyone here saying the Nuggets should’ve waited until after the playoffs to fire Malone… this is like waiting a month and a half to break up with your girlfriend because her birthday is coming up. If you already know you’re going to do it then just do it.

It's not like that at all. Creating upheaval with a team before the playoffs is basically punting the playoffs in front of the team and fanbase. You're basically saying "well, we were gonna lose anyway."

“Creating upheaval”?! You say this as if there wasn’t any chaos as is. The team was in shambles. There was absolutely zero chance, none at all, of this team winning a ring.

There are so many casuals here who have no idea how bad the Nuggets have looked this season.

[Edrees]

Wow. In some weird way, given the timing, this is more shocking news than the Luka trade. But that could be recency bias talking

Sources confirm that the Nuggets ownership consulted Nico on what to do next and he told them that firiong their coach 3 games before the playoffs gives them the best chance of winning.

[Edrees]

For everyone here saying the Nuggets should’ve waited until after the playoffs to fire Malone… this is like waiting a month and a half to break up with your girlfriend because her birthday is coming up. If you already know you’re going to do it then just do it.

Under that logic, after a few years of a coach being with a team, should coaches and teams sign a 50-60 year lifetime contract that says they will coach for life? Because if you know you aren't going to coach for life, you might as well break up now.

Just continuing the analogy.

[cpower]

meanwhile James Jones and Elton Brand still there lol

[BigGargamel]

For everyone here saying the Nuggets should’ve waited until after the playoffs to fire Malone… this is like waiting a month and a half to break up with your girlfriend because her birthday is coming up. If you already know you’re going to do it then just do it.

It's not like that at all. Creating upheaval with a team before the playoffs is basically punting the playoffs in front of the team and fanbase. You're basically saying "well, we were gonna lose anyway."

“Creating upheaval”?! You say this as if there wasn’t any chaos as is. The team was in shambles. There was absolutely zero chance, none at all, of this team winning a ring.

There are so many casuals here who have no idea how bad the Nuggets have looked this season.

I said earlier that I can think of maybe 5 games this year that Denver won comfortably with no issue. It seemed from game one it was a struggle to win any game they played. Losing to the Wizards twice is inexcusable. This team just hasn't been right all season.

Still surprised Malone was fired, but we don't know what went on behind the scenes. The frustration on the court is clear to see, though.

Glad Denver's ownership woke up though. Jokic had perhaps the greatest offensive season of the modern era, and it's gone to waste. Something had to give.

Whoever the next GM is will have their hands full. It's going to be hard to upgrade this roster, but perhaps simply making it different and fresh will be enough. Still have Jokic around, who's shown that he elevates all around him.

Interesting to see how the off-season goes. Major crossroads for this team.

[Dubnation]

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

[LeBronSpaghetti]

For everyone here saying the Nuggets should’ve waited until after the playoffs to fire Malone… this is like waiting a month and a half to break up with your girlfriend because her birthday is coming up. If you already know you’re going to do it then just do it.

This would be true if the outcome of the Playoffs couldn't completely impact his perception. Coaches that had great regular seasons got fired for horrible playoff runs. The same way coaches completely changed perspective through deep playoff runs.

Let's say the Nuggets make it to the finals with Malone, or win another title in the end. They would definitely not fire him afterwards.

Personally I'm not a fan of this situation. It reminds me kind of coach firings in soccer, but there it normally happens when teams are fighting to avoid relegation to a lower league, when it's more about getting the team motivated to give everything every game and having the impression that the current coach isn't reaching the team anymore.

I don't really see this working in a Playoff series against the best teams in the league. Especially if the replacement is team's assistant head coach for 8 seasons. So he is almost as long with the team than Malone was your head coach. Isn't he then also a part of the problem they apparently saw?

There was zero chance of the nuggets doing anything in the playoffs with Malone and I doubt this changes that. I truly wouldn’t bet on the nuggets against a single team in the west right now. So if you already know what you’re going to do, why not just do it? Send a **** message to this sorry ass core that is soft as butter and doesn’t seem to give a **** about winning.