Nuggets Dismiss Champion Coach Michael Malone Just Before NBA Playoffs
The Denver Nuggets have announced the termination of head coach Michael Malone and the decision not to extend general manager Calvin Booth's contract. The news was made public on Tuesday. "It is with no pleasure that we announce that we have...
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The Denver Nuggets have announced the termination of head coach Michael Malone and the decision not to extend general manager Calvin Booth's contract. The news was made public on Tuesday.
"It is with no pleasure that we announce that we have relieved Michael Malone of his head coaching duties, effective immediately," the Nuggets stated. "David Adelman will assume our head coaching role for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. This decision was not made lightly 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."
The announcement comes as the regular season nears its conclusion, with playoffs just around the corner. The Nuggets, coming off four consecutive losses, currently hold the fifth spot in the Western Conference, boasting a record of 47-32—tied with the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Memphis Grizzlies. This situation leaves the possibility that any of these teams could end up entering the playoffs through either the first round or the play-in tournament.
Since joining the Nuggets in June 2015, Malone has led the team to 471 victories out of 798 games. Under his guidance, Nikola Jokic evolved from a No. 41 draft pick into a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player and is regarded as one of the greatest offensive centers in league history. Most notably, Malone played a crucial role in securing the Nuggets' first and only NBA championship in 2023.
"There is no amount of gratitude that we can properly convey to his contributions since he joined our franchise in 2015," said team owner Josh Kroenke. "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."
In regard to Calvin Booth, he has faced significant criticism for certain decisions in constructing the team’s roster, particularly for signing Michael Porter Jr. to a five-year, $179 million contract extension.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
"It is with no pleasure that we announce that we have relieved Michael Malone of his head coaching duties, effective immediately," the Nuggets stated. "David Adelman will assume our head coaching role for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. This decision was not made lightly 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."
The announcement comes as the regular season nears its conclusion, with playoffs just around the corner. The Nuggets, coming off four consecutive losses, currently hold the fifth spot in the Western Conference, boasting a record of 47-32—tied with the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Memphis Grizzlies. This situation leaves the possibility that any of these teams could end up entering the playoffs through either the first round or the play-in tournament.
Since joining the Nuggets in June 2015, Malone has led the team to 471 victories out of 798 games. Under his guidance, Nikola Jokic evolved from a No. 41 draft pick into a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player and is regarded as one of the greatest offensive centers in league history. Most notably, Malone played a crucial role in securing the Nuggets' first and only NBA championship in 2023.
"There is no amount of gratitude that we can properly convey to his contributions since he joined our franchise in 2015," said team owner Josh Kroenke. "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."
In regard to Calvin Booth, he has faced significant criticism for certain decisions in constructing the team’s roster, particularly for signing Michael Porter Jr. to a five-year, $179 million contract extension.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
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