Coaching Carousel - Nuggets fire Mike Malone. Should we look at him as a possible HC if possible?

[Ice Man]

As the last NBA coach to win a title with a new team -- meaning a team that he had not win a title with before -- was 20 years ago, that being Pat Riely in 2005, I don't place a lot of stock in the idea that this coach or that coach is good enough to win a title. The reality seems to be that they are all capable of winning a title if they have the right squad in the right year. Then you can hire and rehire the past winners all you want, but that doing so doesn't bring you any closer to a title. You need lightning to strike, not a different coach.

Meaning, while Malone is fine, he hasn't been sprinkled with any magic dust that Billy Donovan lacks.

[NecessaryEvil]

I hear that but uhh Billy Donovan is not the guy. There’s absolutely no way he’s winning a title. I don’t even think he could with two top ten players.

He may be able to get you from point C to B, but B to A? No way. Doug Collins couldn’t do what Phil Jackson did.

[NecessaryEvil]

I'm not sure there's much of a reason to fire Donovan, especially with how the team has played since the trade deadline. But, Malone would be an upgrade over Donovan, and there would be a possible added benefit of Jokic wanting to follow him to Chicago. The issue with hiring Malone is that very passionate and outspoken, so I imagine he and ownership/FO would clash. It would be similar to the Thibs era

He’s doing an admirable job right now for sure. Definitely enough to pacify the fanbase but I’m not forgetting about the last half decade with him either. He’s not a championship level head coach, and even though we aren’t near that, he won’t be when we do get there either.

I somewhat disagree. I don't know if he is a championship-level coach because I don't think he's been given a good enough roster. When he had a very solid roster, we were a top team in the NBA (even though that didn't last long). With that being said, he has been very frustrating at times, so you can easily justify moving on from him for a coach who IS a championship-winning coach and probably a top 5 coach.

But like I mentioned, I think there will be a personality issue between Malone and the decision-makers. Which apparently led to him being fired.

I hear you but this guy was also gifted Kevin Durant in his prime.

I don’t give him credit for what he did with Lonzo leading because he couldn’t do a damn thing without him. Lonzo was the engine and HC on the floor.

Like I said, Billy is ok for now but down the line? No way.

[patryk7754]

He’s doing an admirable job right now for sure. Definitely enough to pacify the fanbase but I’m not forgetting about the last half decade with him either. He’s not a championship level head coach, and even though we aren’t near that, he won’t be when we do get there either.

I somewhat disagree. I don't know if he is a championship-level coach because I don't think he's been given a good enough roster. When he had a very solid roster, we were a top team in the NBA (even though that didn't last long). With that being said, he has been very frustrating at times, so you can easily justify moving on from him for a coach who IS a championship-winning coach and probably a top 5 coach.

But like I mentioned, I think there will be a personality issue between Malone and the decision-makers. Which apparently led to him being fired.

I hear you but this guy was also gifted Kevin Durant in his prime.

I don’t give him credit for what he did with Lonzo leading because he couldn’t do a damn thing without him. Lonzo was the engine and HC on the floor.

Like I said, Billy is ok for now but down the line? No way.

Great point about KD. I actually forgot that Donovan was with OKC for so long. For some reason, I've just been associating him with Westbrook's MVP season and the CP3 era.

It ultimately comes down to who the replacement would be. Malone would be a great choice

[Jcool0]

I somewhat disagree. I don't know if he is a championship-level coach because I don't think he's been given a good enough roster. When he had a very solid roster, we were a top team in the NBA (even though that didn't last long). With that being said, he has been very frustrating at times, so you can easily justify moving on from him for a coach who IS a championship-winning coach and probably a top 5 coach.

But like I mentioned, I think there will be a personality issue between Malone and the decision-makers. Which apparently led to him being fired.

I hear you but this guy was also gifted Kevin Durant in his prime.

I don’t give him credit for what he did with Lonzo leading because he couldn’t do a damn thing without him. Lonzo was the engine and HC on the floor.

Like I said, Billy is ok for now but down the line? No way.

Great point about KD. I actually forgot that Donovan was with OKC for so long. For some reason, I've just been associating him with Westbrook's MVP season and the CP3 era.

It ultimately comes down to who the replacement would be. Malone would be a great choice

Talent is king in the NBA. This isn't the NFL with the right coach and system you can win a Superbowl. You could go back in time and get 2004 Popovich for the 2021 Bulls and they probably aren't winning much more. You either have a top 15 guy and have a chance or you dont & have no chance. Miami is 36-43 and Erik Spoelstra is supposed to be a top 5 coach.

[Michael Jackson]

I'm not sure there's much of a reason to fire Donovan, especially with how the team has played since the trade deadline. But, Malone would be an upgrade over Donovan, and there would be a possible added benefit of Jokic wanting to follow him to Chicago. The issue with hiring Malone is that very passionate and outspoken, so I imagine he and ownership/FO would clash. It would be similar to the Thibs era

He’s doing an admirable job right now for sure. Definitely enough to pacify the fanbase but I’m not forgetting about the last half decade with him either. He’s not a championship level head coach and even though we aren’t near that, he won’t be when we do get there either.

He is a Championship level coach... In College, not seeing it in the NBA.

[kodo]

Not a Billy fan, but he's not the worst and it would be nice to have some decorum and not fire a guy right after he gets into the Hall.

Agreed with Homo that I think it's more likely Billy gets promoted into the org and we find a new coach that way than AK ever firing Billy. That's essentially how Boston got Udoka, they never fired Brad.

[_txchilibowl_]

Like any of us would have any idea what a championship level coach looks like until after the fact....

[NecessaryEvil]

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[NecessaryEvil]

Like any of us would have any idea what a championship level coach looks like until after the fact....

Uhh

Do you see Billy Donovan out coaching any coach? First round? Semi’s? Conference? Then nba finals? Because I absolutely do not.

He appears to be a great player development coach and nothing more.

[MalagaBulls]

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Like the article states: Puré Insanity. But trading Luka was once thought of as puré insanity. Just sayin....

BTW, Grok's answer:

As of now, there’s no definitive evidence that the Denver Nuggets will trade Nikola Jokić. Jokić, a three-time MVP and the cornerstone of the franchise, has been instrumental in their 2023 NBA Finals victory and remains one of the league’s most dominant players. His current contract runs through the 2027-28 season, with a player option for the final year, giving the Nuggets long-term control over his future.
Recent events, like the surprising firing of head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth on April 8, 2025—just days before the playoffs—have sparked speculation about the team’s direction. Some fans and analysts on X and in media reports suggest this could signal a rebuild, potentially putting Jokić’s future in question. However, Jokić has expressed loyalty to Denver in the past, stating he’d like to retire as a Nugget, and the organization has consistently treated him as untouchable in trade talks. The Kroenke family, who own the team, also have a history of investing in Jokić as their franchise player, especially during his prime at age 30.
Trade rumors have swirled around Jokić before, but they’ve never materialized into serious negotiations. The Nuggets’ limited draft capital and high payroll—tied up in players like Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon—make a rebuild tricky without Jokić, and his value to the team far outweighs what most trade packages could offer. While the front office might shake up the roster to better support him, trading Jokić himself seems unlikely based on his importance, contract, and the team’s competitive window. That said, the NBA is unpredictable, and a disastrous playoff showing or a shift in ownership’s philosophy could change the narrative. For now, it’s speculation without concrete backing.

[_txchilibowl_]

Like any of us would have any idea what a championship level coach looks like until after the fact....

Uhh

Do you see Billy Donovan out coaching any coach? First round? Semi’s? Conference? Then nba finals? Because I absolutely do not.

He appears to be a great player development coach and nothing more.

And what does one coach out coaching another look like? We don't really know what we're looking at. We have novice points of view at best. Without being privy to all the inner workings that lead to a decision being made we're really just judging the results.

So to answer your question I would have no idea if Billy is out coaching another coach. I've been watching basketball my entire life, same as many, and I've come to realize we can only have a surface level understanding of what we're seeing.

That doesn't mean we can't and shouldn't be fans with opinions. That's kind of the point of professional sports and this message board. It just means I think we should have some humility baked into those opinions, myself included.

[NecessaryEvil]

Like any of us would have any idea what a championship level coach looks like until after the fact....

Uhh

Do you see Billy Donovan out coaching any coach? First round? Semi’s? Conference? Then nba finals? Because I absolutely do not.

He appears to be a great player development coach and nothing more.

And what does one coach out coaching another look like? We don't really know what we're looking at. We have novice points of view at best. Without being privy to all the inner workings that lead to a decision being made we're really just judging the results.

So to answer your question I would have no idea if Billy is out coaching another coach. I've been watching basketball my entire life, same as many, and I've come to realize we can only have a surface level understanding of what we're seeing.

That doesn't mean we can't and shouldn't be fans with opinions. That's kind of the point of professional sports and this message board. It just means I think we should have some humility baked into those opinions, myself included.

Understood

[dougthonus]

Jokic doesn't seem like the type to care about Hollywood or the Lakers mythos or whatever, playing with Luka might be an attraction but so could playing with Wemby or Giannis or whoever from the recent draft classes breaks out into a superstar.

I have no idea what Jokic would want specifically vs the things people generally want.

LA has the ability to sign him and offers all the things people generally want (a top 5 player in his prime, unlimited financial resources and commitment to use them, best team in the league to make extra money on top of salary via marketing / other opportunities, amazing weather during the basketball season, great city regardless of what you want out of a city etc...).

So sure, he could go play with some other star, and maybe some of the above things aren't important to him, but they do seem important to most people.

[jnrjr79]

Jokic doesn't seem like the type to care about Hollywood or the Lakers mythos or whatever, playing with Luka might be an attraction but so could playing with Wemby or Giannis or whoever from the recent draft classes breaks out into a superstar.

I have no idea what Jokic would want specifically vs the things people generally want.

LA has the ability to sign him and offers all the things people generally want (a top 5 player in his prime, unlimited financial resources and commitment to use them, best team in the league to make extra money on top of salary via marketing / other opportunities, amazing weather during the basketball season, great city regardless of what you want out of a city etc...).

So sure, he could go play with some other star, and maybe some of the above things aren't important to him, but they do seem important to most people.

Re: the bolded, I think there is some limited intel available about what Jokic may want. For instance, we know he claims to hate being famous and looks forward to retiring to a quiet life with his horses. I suppose this could be a PR creation, but it seems real enough to me. So, L.A. might be about the worst place you could be if that's your general disposition. That said, the best basketball player in the world is going to be super famous regardless of what market he plays in, and in some respects L.A. is a good place to be a famous person because people are used to it and do better at leaving you alone.

L.A. has the worst income tax situation in the NBA, but obviously that's not enough to stop it from being a highly appealing market for the reasons you listed.

If I had to guess, he'll just take the max contract from whatever team looks like it can win.

The funny thing is he's close friends with Vooch, but if he's coming to Chicago, there's no role for Vooch, so I don't think there would be any way to leverage him from a recruiting standpoint.

I'd have to imagine if he can go play with Luka, that would be pretty appealing.

[NecessaryEvil]

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[ChettheJet]

The Bulls aren't going to be changing coaches and only some around here think Billy is holding back this group. It's not Malone is some guru who takes teams to the title. How many has he won and how many without MVP Jokic?

But you want the discussion. The first things asked in the interview are, Can you win with who is here? Who do you think isn't good enough for us to win a title? Just who do you realistically think we need to get in order to win a title? Do you expect us to trade several draft picks to get who you think we need? Can you close the door when you leave?

[NecessaryEvil]

Nobody ever said Malone was a guru but he’s a better damn coach than Billy is. I never wanted Billy. I wanted Ime before he ever got the Boston job and I would have been correct in my assessment. He’s been brilliant at every stop.

[Red Larrivee]

I don’t love BD, but the notion that he has done anything other than - at worst - slightly over perform with the hot trash of horribly matched core players, redundant player acquisitions, and failed draft picks is born of a handful of posters blaming him for how “their guy” was handled. Not how the team performed.

Not to mention how the team is performing now that it has a workable identity and players who logically fit together to form the beginnings of something that finally makes some kind of sense.

If you would've told anyone that the Bulls would trade Caruso and DeRozan before the season and ship Zach out at the halfway mark, they wouldn't have had the Bulls flirting with 40 wins, let alone 30. I've yet to see a team that underachieved in OKC or Chicago with Donovan. But, I've seen multiple teams in OKC and Chicago overachieve with him at the helm.

There's a tiny list of NBA coaches who you can argue have a clear impact on wins and losses. And even then, those coaches have had multiple generational talents to rely on. If we could pick any coach for this team, I'm sure nobody would choose Donovan, while Malone would rightfully get plenty of votes. But, Donovan is very, very far down the list of problems for this team.

[SalmonsSuperfan]

he was the most overrated coach in the nba. never gonna forget that time he yelled at that reporter for calling him "mike" instead of "michael". what a wiener, why would you even care about that?