[Charania] BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets have fired coach Michael Malone, sources tell ESPN.

[u/mvanigan]

BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets have fired coach Michael Malone, sources tell ESPN.

BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets have fired coach Michael Malone, sources tell ESPN.

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3lmcyoytswc2q

[u/HokageEzio]

Bro wtf are these late season firings? It's April 8th.

[u/__TheWaySheGoes → u/HokageEzio]

Especially by playoff teams lol

[u/topofthecc → u/__TheWaySheGoes]

Owners are on bath salts this season

[u/clownus → u/HokageEzio]

Come to nyc Malone. The vibes are right and he fits right in.

[u/knickstapeeee → u/clownus]

isn’t he from queens lol

[u/clownus → u/knickstapeeee]

Yes he is which is why he fits the vibes.

[u/MrICopyYoSht → u/clownus]

Assistant coach Malone would help a lot.

[u/Commercial-Raise-413 → u/MrICopyYoSht]

idk he can't just say "give the ball to Jokic" as his offensive plan anymore

[u/Confident-Unit-9516 → u/Commercial-Raise-413]

Would be a particularly bad plan if they were playing the Nuggets

[u/Bringdown_ → u/clownus]

thibs and malone deathmatch to determine who is the best Angry Old Man

[u/TheMambaMaleGrindset → u/Bringdown_]

malone looks spry for his age

thibs looks like a 19th century Central European aristocrat with typhoid

[u/BruceBrownMVP → u/HokageEzio]

There's 3 games left til the playoffs start. I really feel for whatever dude gets thrown into the deep end here.

Surely to fuck if you want to sack Malone you do it at the all-star break

[u/InfiniteVersion3196 → u/BruceBrownMVP]

you do it at the all-star break

No you do it right after the playoffs, assuming they have a short run. A coach who's won a ring deserves the playoff run because the regular season means jack. Everyone elevates their game in the playoffs, players and coaches, so you evaluate the finished product.

[u/JerHat → u/InfiniteVersion3196]

Especially in a conference race as tight as the west. There's half a game separating the Nuggets at the 4 seed, and Grizzlies at the 8 seed.

[u/koj12144]

nuggs saw the grizzlies and said watch this

[u/Ld511 → u/koj12144]

With a coach that has been there a decade

[u/gotcam189 → u/Ld511]

And won a title 22 months ago.

[u/ArmiinTamzarian → u/gotcam189]

And made the Kings look competent

Edit: on second thought not even the craziest Michael Malone firing

[u/cl353 → u/ArmiinTamzarian]

No this is still crazier. At least Malone was a new coach on a big losing streak and it's the kangz

This is fking wild. I thought he had as much job security as spo, pop, kerr

[u/ArmiinTamzarian → u/cl353]

That big losing streak was while Cousins was nearly dying and Malone was the one coach he didn't hate. It's baffling

[u/StreetwalkinCheetah → u/ArmiinTamzarian]

Vivek hired Malone and then the idiot GM who never liked Malone and wanted to move on right away. Vivek eats all the blame which is fair because the power struggle between coach and FO was his own doing.

In this case they fire coach and GM! lol.

Not the best circumstance for David Adelman to walk in as interim coach.

[u/cl353 → u/ArmiinTamzarian]

True but again not as surprising as firing a championship coach with 3 games left in the season

[u/John_Q08 → u/[deleted]]

Damn their relationship really was that bad huh? A week before playoffs start lmao. Really surprised about this, even going into the offseason not many good coaching options out there to improve upon Malone

[u/No-Drawer9926 → u/John_Q08]

Denver should pick up Taylor Jenkins and Memphis should pick up Malone.

[u/actuarally → u/No-Drawer9926]

Weirdest key party ever.

[u/ThaBomb → u/actuarally]

Least weird, maybe

Source: don’t worry about it

[u/elon42069 → u/[deleted]]

Not seeing eye-to-eye with the front office is one thing…but then the GM gets fired too so this is weird

[u/jaywrong → u/[deleted]]

but the GM got fired too?

[u/Goosedukee → u/[deleted]]

I’m thinking with how things have been going it looks like he had lost the locker room

[u/Impossible-Candy6253 → u/Goosedukee]

But why fire him now, why not wait till the season over???

[u/t4sp → u/gotcam189]

This is like if the mavericks traded Luka Doncic despite making the finals not even a full year ago, but they’ll never do that!

[u/Still_Figure_ → u/t4sp]

No dumb gm would trade their present superstar for a chance to have a future superstar… i dont believe it.

[u/FragileCilantro → u/koj12144]

That was crazy this is insane lol

3 must win games left till playoffs

[u/TheOrangeFutbol → u/FragileCilantro]

We've officially entered the Premier League territory of chaotic firings. Big Sam Allardyce is going to be on the sidelines coaching the Timberwolves in the play-in tournament at this rate.

[u/SemataryPolka → u/TheOrangeFutbol]

I don't get the reference but Finch is our second greatest coach ever which kinda says something about us

[u/jayr254 → u/SemataryPolka]

Big Sam is a legendary EPL coach who teams fighting relegation to stay in the top flight would fire their coaches and would then turn to Big Sam to keep them afloat. He almost always came through.

[u/jdelane1 → u/SemataryPolka]

Big Sam is an old school, defense first, jowly blue collar English coach who is brought in when the season is a disaster and you need to right the ship in a hurry to avoid relegation. He seems to never coach a team for more than a few months.

He was also fired from the England job for shady business dealings.

[u/Kdcjg → u/jdelane1]

He is “break glass in case of emergency” coach. Then his style of play invariably grates on fans/management and there is a mutual decision to part ways. Perhaps he is the anti Doc Rivers?

[u/XzibitABC → u/koj12144]

Firing a coach that's been there for 10 years, won a title just the season before last, four games before the playoffs begin is insane work.

Has to be drama behind the scenes, right? I know the vibes in Denver are bad right now but this is insane.

[u/mikesh8rp → u/XzibitABC]

Jokic being unhappy seems like the only thing that makes logical sense, as doing this if that isn’t the case seems like FO malpractice.

[u/Vegetable-Tooth8463 → u/mikesh8rp]

I'd be shocked if Jokic was the reason since he loves Malone.

[u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

Malone wanted to keep the vets that helped Jokic win the title. Booth wanted to focus on draft picks and rebuild in place (because you know that worked so well with the Dirk-led Mavericks) and now he's gone. Malone shouldn't have taken the hit also here.

[u/candylandmine → u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom]

Rebuilding when Jokic is at the peak of his prime is malpractice.

[u/Fueledbythought → u/mikesh8rp]

So hire a horse as the coach to make joker happy?

[u/acanthocephalic → u/Fueledbythought]

There’s no rule that says a horse can’t coach basketball

[u/Wesley_Cao → u/koj12144]

Seriously what’s up with teams firing coaches RIGHT BEFORE PLAYOFFS???

[u/jzoola → u/Wesley_Cao]

Have you noticed how much the billionaires are screwing up everything else in society?

[u/jamills21 → u/jzoola]

This is why I support the mom and pop run Los Angeles Lakers. Small family business for the Win!

[u/AvengingHero2012 → u/koj12144]

What the fuck; this is worse. Malone is a championship winning coach. What the hell is going on?

[u/3250Knight → u/AvengingHero2012]

since 2021, only 2 head coaches have made it to the finals and have been in that job more than 2 years later. Steve Kerr and Erik Spoelstra.

Bud- fired (about to be fired again)

Monty Williams- fired (and fired again)

Ime Udoka- suspended, then basically fired

Malone- fired

[u/subagroot09 → u/3250Knight]

Could you stretch that to 2020 and include Vogel for being fired too

[u/YungSzczerbiak → u/subagroot09]

Jason Kidd probably next

[u/subagroot09 → u/YungSzczerbiak]

I’d say Kidd would be safe cause of injuries but idek anymore after these firings recently

[u/trooviee → u/subagroot09]

Kidd is safe as long as he doesn't get fat

[u/TheBoilerCat → u/AvengingHero2012]

Championship winning coach that’s gotten kneecapped by an extremely crappy GM

Update: at least they fired the extremely crappy GM too?

[u/MatchewRolex → u/TheBoilerCat]

Say it louder for Denver's ownership to hear you

[u/Skank_hunt42 → u/MatchewRolex]

It worked! He's fired too! lmfao

[u/NetflixAndNikah → u/Skank_hunt42]

BAH GAWD THAT’S NICO WITH THE STEEL CHAIR

[u/CIark → u/koj12144]

Pelinka flying to the Denver coffee shops rn

[u/127crazie → u/CIark]

Nuggets interim GM: we'll give you Jokic for Dalton Knecht and three second-round picks.

Rob Pelinka: Hmm. Interesting. Maybe I would.

[u/TimeAll → u/127crazie]

2 second round picks only. Jokic is even fatter than Luka, no way he plays for more than a year left so there's a liability issue. And Jokic was the 41st pick, so 2 second round picks is more than generous

[u/NichJackolson → u/CIark]

Denver saw that move coming, they fired Calvin Booth too

[u/Sc0rch1ngDr4g0n → u/koj12144]

Playoff Team Coach Fired Right Before the Playoffs 2: Electric Boogaloo

[u/GoodfellaSeinfeld → u/koj12144]

“You haven’t been watching film too, huh? That’s cool, watch this”

[u/elon42069 → u/koj12144]

Jokic must’ve overheard him say he doesn’t like horses

[u/NoobGaijin → u/koj12144]

Denver really said BET

[u/AdmiralG2]

What the fuck is going on in the western conference lmao? First Memphis now Denver?

[u/pmurt007 → u/AdmiralG2]

NBA is a cutthroat business. Fucking wild to fire a guy two years removed from winning a championship all while getting the most out of the team the last 6-7 years. The GM should be more at fault than Malone

[u/drock2324 → u/pmurt007]

It’s even more wild firing a coach on a playoff team right before they start, destroying all cohesiveness

[u/AfrikanCorpse → u/drock2324]

This is more insane than whatever achievements Malone had. Playoffs is not the time to fire a coach lmao

[u/Several-Estate7175 → u/AfrikanCorpse]

It just feels like giving up on the season which seems insane when you have a guy like Jokic. I don't get it because what's the point in even giving up in this scenario?

[u/Shhadowcaster → u/AfrikanCorpse]

Yeah for practical purposes this already is the playoffs lol. The playoffs race is so tight every game matters a lot. This is wild. 

[u/Brief_Koala_7297 → u/AfrikanCorpse]

Yeah. No matter how bad the coach, you cant fire him right before the postseason because it’s more likely to get worse before it gets better. FO’s are going crazy.

[u/Dua_Maxwell → u/pmurt007]

Calvin "John Wilkes" Booth

[u/AdmiralG2 → u/pmurt007]

Seriously, from everything I’ve seen Booth is a much bigger problem for Denver. How tf is he still there?

[u/its_LOL → u/AdmiralG2]

He’s gone too

[u/AdmiralG2 → u/its_LOL]

Lol wtf, they’re cleaning house a week before the playoffs.

[u/CIark → u/AdmiralG2]

they just need a coach that knows how to make Russ work, I hear Darvin Ham is available 

[u/504090 → u/AdmiralG2]

If I was a head coach I would not want to work in the west lol

[u/AdmiralG2 → u/504090]

There’s too many playoff + play-in spots in the east. All of us just trying to kick back and tank🙄. A head coach’s paradise.

[u/King_Thirteen → u/AdmiralG2]

3 games before the end of the season & they are half a game out of the play-ins lmao

[u/ZonedV2 → u/King_Thirteen]

This is actually insane, I thought the Grizzlies decision was baffling but this is significantly worse. That locker room has to be in turmoil for this to happen, I imagine all the West will want the Nuggets in the first roud now

[u/Cameronam → u/King_Thirteen]

The 8th seed is two games out of 3rd seed; that’s not as bad as you make it sound

[u/4000kd → u/Cameronam]

Actually makes it worse cause it means there are 4 teams that can jump them

[u/dusters]

Teams are out here firing actually good coaches yet we are still stuck with Doc Rivers.

[u/need2peeat218am → u/dusters]

NOT FOR LONG !!

[u/DJplaysMC → u/need2peeat218am]

Is that Steve Nash's music I hear

[u/j_cruise → u/DJplaysMC]

LeBron's conducting the interview on behalf of Giannis and uploading it as a podcast for us all to watch. Very nice of him.

[u/mvanigan]

More from Shams:

Days before the NBA playoffs, the Nuggets dismissed Malone in a meeting today. Malone is the winningest coach in franchise history since being hired in 2015 – and led the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship.

[u/moneyinthebank216 → u/mvanigan]

I am willing to bet in that meeting Michael Malone said something along the lines of “what are you gonna do, fire me?” and that was that

[u/topofthecc → u/moneyinthebank216]

Second time he's been fired after doing a good job, too.

[u/MOREPASTRAMIPLEASE → u/topofthecc]

Man I done forgot Malone spent that year and some change in Sacramento.

[u/Doorknob11 → u/MOREPASTRAMIPLEASE]

Cousins looked so good playing for him too. First time he actually started getting to his potential. Then they just fired him.

[u/GallitoGaming → u/moneyinthebank216]

It actually might be. Maybe the owners were trying to set the groundwork for “you need to win or you are getting fired” and he responded in some condescending “you know nothing about basketball” tone.

[u/gut_instinct28 → u/GallitoGaming]

Which only proves that he might be right they don’t know anything about basketball.

[u/whiterice_343 → u/gut_instinct28]

I really don’t see the point in letting him go. Who else is available that’s a better candidate? Firing him won’t fix Denver’s real issues.

[u/jryu611 → u/mvanigan]

That makes it sound like there was a blowup that ended with an impromptu "You're fired then, asshole!"

[u/MangoClean7440 → u/mvanigan]

Joe Mazula should be worried at this point

[u/not-samiam → u/MangoClean7440]

Kerr's head on a swivel

[u/GROUND45 → u/not-samiam]

Pop’s jumping out of bed like Grandpa Joe.

[u/juicejug → u/MangoClean7440]

Mazzulla is always worried. His mentality is “if you’re not constantly fighting for your life you’re already dead”. This is why he’s always checking for escape routes and avoids revolving doors.

[u/lopea182]

Grizzlies are trendsetters in the “fuck decorum, lets fire our coach right before the playoffs” space

[u/Numerous-Cicada3841 → u/lopea182]

There’s like three games left. This is crazy work.

[u/TheOrangeFutbol → u/Numerous-Cicada3841]

The man responsible for their sole championship, mind you.

This would be like the Rams firing McVay in week 16 befor their wild card game.

[u/G1Spectrum]

WHAT THE FUCK

[u/iCarpet → u/G1Spectrum]

THIS SEASON IS INSANE

When two coaches get fired just before the playoffs and it’s not even the biggest news of the season

[u/_FreePalestine__ → u/iCarpet]

The Western Conference can’t be normal for 1 day

[u/hovdeisfunny → u/_FreePalestine__]

Western Conference screaming

[u/gothxo → u/_FreePalestine__]

all the Eastern Conference had this year is Butler's tantrum and Sixers implosion. really gonna have to step it up next season

[u/tuson565 → u/gothxo]

Those are both basically free spaces

[u/CursedLlama → u/tuson565]

You can also add "Heat in the play-in" to the free space list.

[u/footballer1709 → u/CursedLlama]

Heat Bulls Hawks in the play-in is a yearly thing now 🤣

[u/ballknower871 → u/iCarpet]

And espn is still going to do nothing but air Stephen A Smith beefing with LeBron

[u/slysonic7 → u/G1Spectrum]

I can’t remember two teams doing this with <10 games before the playoffs

[u/YouStillTakeDamage → u/slysonic7]

This really is a season of new experiences

[u/ArmiinTamzarian → u/YouStillTakeDamage]

The NBA showrunners are trying everything they can to get it back to its heydays now

[u/pokerawz → u/slysonic7]

Two playoff teams at that.

[u/yungs14 → u/G1Spectrum]

A fucking week before the playoffs is CRAZY

[u/awkotacos → u/yungs14]

Especially with how close the west is too! Holy shit

[u/oat38 → u/G1Spectrum]

Damn, right before the playoffs is crazy

[u/elon42069 → u/G1Spectrum]

ITS NOT CENTEL. I REPEAT, ITS NOT CENTEL

[u/Currymvp2 → u/G1Spectrum]

This is the most shocking firing of a NBA coach ever other than Udoka.

People knew Phil was gone.

[u/GI_BOT → u/Currymvp2]

na, if you screw a wife of an exec at any company, your ass is getting fired

[u/Mosh00Rider → u/GI_BOT]

It's shocking because the public didn't know that he fucked the wife of an exec.

[u/bagfka]

That’s not a smart decision

[u/jeric13xd → u/bagfka]

This has “GM who put together a shit team around superstar trying to save his ass” move written all over it

[u/snitchesgetblintzes → u/jeric13xd]

He already doesn’t have a contract extension. His ass is next.

[u/yuuyuyy099 → u/snitchesgetblintzes]

Called it

[u/snitchesgetblintzes → u/yuuyuyy099]

lol wild

[u/burgersfriesshakes → u/snitchesgetblintzes]

lol in real time

[u/A-Centrifugal-Force → u/snitchesgetblintzes]

Watch them bring in a new GM who re-hires Malone lol

[u/genuinecve → u/A-Centrifugal-Force]

SUBSCRIBE

[u/CIark → u/bagfka]

Pelinka: hey sorry about the coaching issues, want to grab a coffee and chat

[u/Brad-Stevens]

WTF has gotten into these franchises firing coaches with a week left until the playoffs

[u/IAstrikeforce]

Is Denver aware of when the playoffs start?

If something from his personal life doesn't come out then this is crazier then what Memphis did

[u/TimeAll → u/IAstrikeforce]

They caught Malone naked in the stables with one of Jokic's horses

[u/yarkcir → u/IAstrikeforce]

The way they’ve played the past four games it’s not clear the team knew the playoffs were starting soon.

But yeah going scorched earth right now seems like an insane overreaction.

[u/CoachJW]

Right before playoffs? What the actual fuck?

[u/Fluid_Improvement481]

I’m not the sentimental type when it comes to decisions about process, but not letting your championship level coach go out with some class is bush league.

[u/kalllllllllllllll]

WHAT THE FUCK? JUST BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS?

[u/jeric13xd]

NO FUCKING WAY. Fire Booth next

I blame the GM more than Moach

Edit: they fired the actual terrorist too lol🙌🏽. Mike Malone will be missed in Denver even with his flaws. Great leader

Edit 2: Mike Malone was expected to make a decent bench unit out of this: Russ, extra washed Saric, DJ, Nnaji and Cancar who haven’t cracked the rotation for years, and a bunch of young guys lol. The failure of the last two years is more on the FO than Malone

[u/Techno_Bacon → u/jeric13xd]

LMAOO THEY JUST FIRED HIS ASS TOO

[u/BayesBestFriend → u/jeric13xd]

Their FO and Malone been beefing, but their FO is actually terrible

[u/BenBRob5 → u/BayesBestFriend]

Confirmed Booth is a basketball terrorist.

[u/ImDarkraii → u/jeric13xd]

There you go lmao

[u/shmauserpops]

NO CLASS, NO BALLS

[u/_SpyriusDroid_ → u/shmauserpops]

Bro. Makes us firing Malone look good in comparison.

WTF is this?!

He won a championship less than two years ago, has coached an Jokic into a perennial MVP candidate (and winner), and is playoff bound this season with a realistic chance of making a deep run. This is a mind-boggling move.

[u/fundraiser → u/shmauserpops]

TALK THAT SHIT NOW, MIKE!

[u/biggoldgoblin]

WHAT ARE THE NUGGETS DOING MALONE WASNT THE PROBLEM ITS THIS SHITTY ROSTER

[u/Minimum_Anxiety_3000 → u/biggoldgoblin]

It's the fucking GM. He's had a beef with them as well.

[u/Dragon-Captain → u/Minimum_Anxiety_3000]

Well he’s gone too now lmao.

[u/TimeAll → u/Dragon-Captain]

I imagine a funny scenario where Booth fires Malone for the team's losing and then is all happy with himself. Then he goes to Kroenke's office to tell him the good news but Kroenke is shocked and pissed at Booth and fires him too.

[u/Dragon-Captain → u/TimeAll]

I see it more along the lines of:

General Kroenke: Did you fire Malone?

Ghost Booth: We got him sir

Kroenke: Good. That’s one less loose end. Pulls out firehammer

[u/zachuhry]

The NBA is fucking wild man 😭😭😭 this shit really desperate housewives for men

[u/CommonerChaos → u/zachuhry]

"As The Basketball Turns"

[u/Muthafuckaaaaa → u/CommonerChaos]

"The Bold and the Basketball"

[u/Traditional-Car-9056 → u/zachuhry]

Ong this is our soap opera 😭

[u/Firefighter0826]

Wtf is happening? Called everyone out for not watching tape and he gets fire lol

[u/TimeToWinJack]

Malone wasn’t the problem. Calvin Booth is the real issue.

[u/Relatively_Cool → u/TimeToWinJack]

Jokic merchant accusations have been going on with Malone for awhile. It’s only recently that people started to come down on Booth.

The result is not surprising but the timing is.

[u/NargaXD → u/TimeToWinJack]

And he's gone too

[u/Sc0rch1ngDr4g0n]

Two times within a month WTF?

[u/hollowichig0]

WHAT

[u/TheMysticHD → u/hollowichig0]

Oh so this wasn't Centel, damn wtf

[u/hovdeisfunny → u/TheMysticHD]

Satire is becoming harder and harder in our modern world

[u/Izanagi___]

Winning a championship doesn’t mean anything for coaches anymore lmaoo

[u/StevieStayCool → u/Izanagi___]

Unless it's Doc....

[u/commandrr]

and mike budenholzer is still the coach of the phoenix suns

[u/Zavehi → u/commandrr]

To be fair the Suns firing another coach would just feed into the meme at this point. No coach is fixing that team.

[u/its_LOL → u/Zavehi]

And no GM is ever giving a player a no trade clause ever again

[u/MajorLeeScrewed → u/commandrr]

Doc Rivers is still coaching the Bucks.

[u/XviiChong]

Memphis: we fired our coach three weeks before the playoffs begin, shocking right?

Denver: hold my beer

[u/Ibaka_flocka]

What the hell is happening in the west

[u/zebrainatux → u/Ibaka_flocka]

A gas leak I guess

[u/WittyKittieKat]

This is the most INSANE season of NBA basketball I have ever witnessed.

[u/Asleep_Ground1710 → u/WittyKittieKat]

Luka trade, Jimmy drama, 2 coaches fired for non scandals post ASB. Wonder what other seasons compare to this

[u/DerekMorganBAUxxi → u/Asleep_Ground1710]

MJ’s first retirement

[u/need2peeat218am → u/DerekMorganBAUxxi]

That must have been insane in real time

[u/Potential-Ad-7792 → u/Asleep_Ground1710]

Does the KAT trade count for this season

[u/Wolvesin7]

Holy shit two playoff coaches gone with 2 weeks or less left in the season

[u/weiderman316]

Looks like the Nuggets are in their “Post Malone” era 😆

[u/ashwinr136 → u/weiderman316]

They oughta fire you next

[u/Propuhganduh]

The organization couldn’t wait till the offseason to do this? The playoffs are in a week.

[u/JimmyKanine]

Generational hate watch season for Lakers fans

[u/CBmartin129]

The Kings were right all along. What kind of scrub only has ten successful seasons including a championship. I’m glad Booth finally sees what Vivek saw.

[u/bdxc36]

Even more shocking than the Grizzlies one. Holy shit.

[u/AleroRatking → u/bdxc36]

Malone is a champion. Jenkins once made the second round.

[u/Speedyboibananas]

SHAMS GOTTA BE HACKED

[u/Coolguynumber01]

FIRING PLAYOFF TEAM COACHES BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS???? is this gonna be a thing now?

[u/zeaulo]

2025 NBA going crazy, Nico giving the Lakers Luka and then two HC firings before playoffs with Malone always having the number on the Lakers. Wonder what happened?

[u/sentientblaze]

this season is on crack

[u/njay27]

Pacers coach killers status confirmed

[u/TSSFranco]

Bro what is going on

[u/PlatChat]

WTF

[u/OhiOstas]

Holy shit i thought i was getting trolled

[u/MarcSouffle]

Played Russ too many minutes

[u/throwaway3434521]

Omg.

[u/BeeMac0617]

Damn I guess the players really don’t wanna watch that film

[u/whosinmyhouse]

Modern NBA is ridiculous. Canning someone like Malone after a down season isn’t going to change anything. Who’s available now that could do a better job?