Paul Pierce dropped a bombshell on FS1’s Speak this week, voicing what many in NBA circles are beginning to whisper.
The statement came in response to the Denver Nuggets’ shocking decision to fire head coach Michael Malone just days before the 2025 NBA Playoffs, a move that could dramatically shift the direction of the franchise—and the future of their three-time MVP.
“It just tells me Denver is not serious. Since they won a championship, they failed to re-sign the players that they had to help them win the championship.”
“They’ve regressed in the role players, and they say, ‘Hey, we’re just gonna plug and play. It’s just hopefully our best player can cover our weaknesses.’ This is just telling me that the Denver Nuggets, by firing their coach a week before the playoffs, this does not give them their best chance to win the championship.”
“Which is telling me is that you’re wasting one of the greatest players of this generation.”
“You’re wasting his prime now, because I look at this like, how do you go into the playoffs with a focus like, ‘Hey guys, we’re going to talk about winning a championship,’ where now for the next week or two, they’re going to be talking about the firing of the coach in the locker room.”
“Instead of us talking about championship, we’re going to be talking about that. How are you going to be focused on winning the playoffs when that’s going to be a subject of every conversation from here on out? I just don’t get it. This is more going to be a distraction.”
“They could have waited until after the season to do this. If the players had an issue with Mike Malone, cool. You dealt with it this long. You could have dealt with it a few more weeks. And so I just don’t get it. This does not give them the best chance to win a championship.”
“And I wouldn’t be shocked if Joker demands a trade this summer.”
The firing of Malone, who helped guide Denver to its only NBA title and oversaw Nikola Jokic’s rise from a pudgy second-rounder into a generational superstar, was met with confusion across the league.
With just three games left in the season and the Nuggets in danger of slipping into the play-in tournament, the timing of the move baffled many. Pierce believes it sends the wrong message—one of instability at a time when the team should be focusing on a deep playoff push.
Instead of cohesion and clarity, Jokic and the Nuggets now face chaos. The locker room must now navigate questions about coaching decisions, front office dysfunction, and the team’s long-term identity—all while attempting to win in the ruthless Western Conference postseason.
Denver’s issues extend beyond Malone. The team also dismissed GM Calvin Booth, who had clashed with Malone over roster decisions—particularly the coach’s preference for aging veterans like Russell Westbrook over developing young talent. That power struggle, simmering for months, reportedly turned toxic and contributed to the franchise’s unraveling.
Meanwhile, Jokic has kept quiet publicly, but multiple reports suggest he’s frustrated with the team’s lack of defensive commitment and declining execution.
Denver has slipped to 20th in defensive rating this season, a staggering fall from their top-eight finish last year. Even as Jokic puts up historically dominant numbers—30.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game—his efforts have often been wasted in narrow losses caused by breakdowns around him.
If the Nuggets flame out early in the postseason—and especially if Jamal Murray remains sidelined with injury—the noise around a possible Jokic trade demand will grow louder. Pierce’s bold prediction might no longer be just a hot take, but a reflection of growing league-wide concern.
Jokic is under contract through 2027 with a massive player option looming in 2028. But loyalty only stretches so far. If Denver can’t stabilize fast, the franchise might be staring down the loss of the greatest player it’s ever known.
