In one of the most shocking decisions in recent NBA history, the Denver Nuggets have fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth just days before the start of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, as reported by Shams Charania.
With only three games left in the regular season and the Nuggets sitting at 47-32, clinging to the fourth seed in a tightly packed Western Conference, the organization opted for a dramatic reset that has left the league stunned.
Malone, who guided the franchise to its first NBA title in 2023, has been the face of the Nuggets’ coaching staff for the past decade. During his tenure, he compiled a 471-327 record and oversaw the development of three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic into one of the most dominant players of his generation.
Now, after a late-season collapse and internal friction with management, his time in Denver is over. Lead assistant David Adelman has been named interim head coach as the Nuggets attempt to stabilize themselves before what could be a chaotic postseason.
The decision comes on the heels of a four-game losing streak, which included painful losses to direct playoff rivals such as the Warriors and Timberwolves. Denver, once a team expected to compete for another championship, now finds itself in real danger of falling into the play-in tournament.
The margin for error is razor-thin—four teams are tied in the loss column with Denver, and the tiebreak scenarios do not favor them. The front office evidently felt something drastic had to change.
However, many are questioning the timing. Firing both the head coach and GM with mere days left in the regular season is unprecedented, particularly when one of them helped deliver a title just two years ago. Sources indicate the decision was the culmination of long-simmering tension between Malone and Booth.
Booth reportedly wanted to see the team develop younger talent he had drafted, while Malone consistently leaned on trusted veterans. Disagreements on roster usage and direction boiled over amid the recent slump.
Nikola Jokic, the centerpiece of the franchise and a top MVP candidate once again, has not commented publicly yet. But his reaction may ultimately define how the franchise moves forward.
Jokic’s loyalty to Malone has been well-documented. The Serbian superstar has had his best years under Malone’s system, and many believe the coach’s influence was pivotal in shaping Jokic into the generational force he is today.
The future now looks uncertain for a team that was, until recently, a model of stability. Booth, who took over as GM before the 2022-23 season, played a significant role in constructing the title-winning roster.
His abrupt exit raises questions about who will lead the front office going forward and what direction the franchise plans to take in the offseason—especially with a looming decision about surrounding Jokic with the right pieces to contend.
No team in NBA history has ever fired its head coach just three games before the start of the playoffs—until the Nuggets made this shocking decision. The closest precedent to this came only recently when the Memphis Grizzlies parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games remaining in the 2024-25 season.
For now, Denver enters its final three games not just battling for playoff seeding, but attempting to regroup from an organizational earthquake. The team that hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy just 22 months ago is suddenly without its architect and its commander.
