Former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone has finally issued his first statement following his stunning firing on April 8. In Sunday’s edition of the Denver Post, Malone expressed his gratitude to the Nuggets for giving him an opportunity, and he had a special message for their fans as well.
“Ten years ago, I was presented with the incredible opportunity to be the head coach of the Denver Nuggets,” Malone wrote. “Little did I know the profound impact that would have on the next decade of my life.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Kroenke family, all of our remarkable players, and my exceptionally talented coaching staff,” Malone continued. “It was an honor to work alongside you each and every day.
“To Nuggets Nation, it has been my absolute pleasure to lead and fight for our team every night,” Malone added. “To help bring Denver its first NBA championship is an accomplishment that I will always cherish. I will be forever grateful for the unwavering love and support you showed me and my family. Denver is home, and being your coach has been my privilege.”
Malone looked set to finish his 10th season as Nuggets head coach before he was fired with less than a week remaining in the regular season. He departed as the most successful coach in franchise history.
Malone led the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA title in 2023 and amassed a 471-327 record in the regular season during his time in Denver. Those 471 wins are the most in franchise history, and so are the 44 he racked up in the playoffs.
You’d have thought that Malone would be around for a while after winning that championship, but he’s gone less than two years later. His assistant, David Adelman, has taken over as interim head coach.
Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke spoke about Malone’s firing, and he believes it gives the team the best chance at winning a title this year. There was reportedly a lot of tension behind the scenes between Malone and GM Calvin Booth, who has also been fired, which isn’t ideal.
Malone and Booth reportedly clashed over Russell Westbrook, with the GM wanting young players to be given opportunities instead of the veteran. The coach disagreed, though, and the two were at odds with each other. Kroenke was not interested in picking a side and fired both of them.
While Malone put out a classy statement here, it appears he didn’t take his firing too well. Malone did not have a calm reaction when informed about his dismissal, which isn’t too surprising considering his fiery character. His behavior had started rubbing the players the wrong way, though.
Nuggets players also reportedly lost faith in Malone after he gave Westbrook special treatment. It seemed to be just one thing after another.
The Nuggets have done well so far following Malone’s departure. They won their last three regular-season games under Adelman to finish the season as the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record. They’ll take on the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round, and this should be an interesting series.
If the Nuggets do bow out against the Clippers, questions will be asked about the decision to fire Malone this late into the season. This is a complete coaching mismatch, too, as Adelman has never been a head coach at this level while Tyronn Lue is one of the best in the business.
