Just a few years removed from their first-ever title run, the Denver Nuggets are ready to do whatever it takes to become champions once again. Unfortunately, the latest rumblings out of Denver reveal a new problem is surfacing for the franchise: a disconnect between the head coach and the front office.
“There are rumblings,” said Zach Lowe on his podcast. “Rumblings! That the coaching staff and front office, or at least the head coach and the front office, aren’t exactly seeing eye to eye in Denver. To a degree even unusual for the NBA.”
With Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have enjoyed unprecedented prosperity in the West. As a 3x MVP, NBA champion, and 6x All-Star, the Serbian legend is set to go down in history as one of the greatest big men of the modern NBA. Since his rise to stardom in 2018, the Nuggets have consistently been one of the best teams in the league and the same holds true for the upcoming season.
Malone, who was previously employed by the Sacramento Kings, took on the Nuggets head coaching role in 2015 and he’s been widely viewed as one of the best in the league. Between his solid rotations, inspiring comments, and proven game plans, Malone has earned the respect of players and coaches alike. More importantly, he’s established a positive and effective relationship with Nikola Jokic.
But now, there are reports of a split between Malone and GM Calvin Booth. We don’t know for sure what the problem is, but it might have something to do with their roster decisions over the past two years.
Despite becoming champions in 2023, the Nuggets parted ways with one of their key role-players, Bruce Brown, when he left in free agency to sign with the Pacers. The Nuggets preferred to keep and develop their own young players instead, with the goal of saving money on the payroll.
This summer, they also parted ways with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who played a big role for them during their championship run. As a veteran two-way shooting guard, his skills were useful for the Nuggets, and losing him for nothing will no doubt hurt their chances of making another title run in the near future.
Malone advocated for both Brown and KCP and yet both players were let go like they barely bettered at all. For the front office, it seems like they view most of the roster as expendable while Malone would rather his team do more to keep the roster intact.
The core of Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon will surely keep the Nuggets competitive next season but after losing several key contributors, it remains to be seen if they have the depth and supporting talent to beat out the competition.
If they somehow also lose Michael Malone, the Nuggets could be at risk of falling off entirely and it could take them years to find the right guy to lead their locker room.
Needless to say, a lot is riding on this upcoming season for the Nuggets. Despite losing some trusted players, the pressure will be on Malone to lead a successful campaign and prove that they still have enough firepower to complete the mission. If not, things could turn from bad to worse for the 2023 NBA champions.
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