Shocking Shakeup: Denver Nuggets Fire Head Coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth Just Days Before Playoffs

The recent firing of Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, just four days before the end of the NBA regular season, has sent shockwaves throughout the basketball world. Despite holding a top-four seed with only three games left before the playoffs, the decision seems jarring and leaves many questions unanswered. After all, Malone has been the cornerstone of the Nuggets’ success over the past decade, becoming the winningest coach in franchise history and leading the team to its first-ever NBA championship less than two years ago. The timing of this decision is perplexing, especially with the team on the cusp of the postseason.

But the move comes alongside the dismissal of general manager Calvin Booth, signaling that ownership—specifically the Kroenke family—has made a clear statement. According to Josh Kroenke, the decision was “necessary” to allow the team to compete at the highest level and maintain championship-level expectations for the current season. On the surface, this reasoning seems logical, but it doesn’t capture the full extent of the internal tension that led to this drastic decision.

One of the key reasons behind the firing of both Malone and Booth is the longstanding friction between the two. Over the years, Malone and Booth clashed over their differing approaches to team building. Booth favored a focus on draft picks and a younger, more flexible roster, while Malone preferred to rely on proven veterans who could contribute immediately. This divide created an underlying tension that was never fully addressed, and the recent struggles of the team on the court seem to have brought it to a boiling point.

Nikola Jokić, the reigning two-time MVP, has been having one of the best individual seasons in NBA history, yet the Nuggets have been far from consistent, with as many losses as several other teams in their conference. While it’s unfair to pin all of the blame on Malone, as head coach, the responsibility falls on him to guide the team through its challenges. Ownership’s decision to let go of both Malone and Booth can be seen as an attempt to recalibrate the franchise’s future and make a bold move in the pursuit of maximizing Jokić’s window of dominance. The Kroenkes clearly felt the urgency of the situation—if they wanted to keep Jokić in Denver for the long haul and continue competing for championships, they needed a change at the top before it was too late. This dramatic move sets the stage for what promises to be a pivotal offseason for the Nuggets, as they search for a new direction in the wake of the departures of two key figures.