The Denver Nuggets have fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, the team announced Tuesday. It’s a pair of shocking dismissals in the final week of the NBA regular season. Malone led the Nuggets to an NBA championship in 2023, less than two years ago. Denver lost in the second round of the playoffs in 2024, and the team (47-32) could finish anywhere from as high as third in the Western Conference to as low as eighth in the standings this season.
Malone, who was about to complete his 10th season with the franchise, is the winningest coach In Nuggets history, and had made the postseason six consecutive times. Assistant coach David Adelman is taking over as interim head coach, the team announced.
Team owner Josh Kroenke released a statement Tuesday, calling the timing of the decision “unfortunate.” He said he wants to give his team the “best chance” at competing for a championship this year. Here’s how Kroenke explained the surprising move to fire Malone:
“This decision was not made lightly and was evaluated very carefully, and we do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver and our fans everywhere. While the timing of this decision is unfortunate, as Coach Malone helped build the foundation of our now championship level program, it is a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now,” Kroenke said. “Championship level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season, and as we look to the future, we look forward to building on the foundations laid by Coach Malone over his record-breaking 10-year career in Denver.
“There is no amount of gratitude that we can properly convey to his contributions since he joined our franchise in 2015. It is with our utmost respect that we would like to thank Coach Malone for the most successful decade in Nuggets history, setting the all-time wins record and helping deliver Denver our first championship.”
The Nuggets have lost four games in a row and have three games remaining in the regular season, including Wednesday night against the Kings.
Denver, however, is not the only postseason team to make a recent and surprising coaching change. The Memphis Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins at the end of last month.
Booth had been with the Nuggets since 2020. In their statement, the Nuggets said his contract will not be extended past this season.
“I want to thank Calvin Booth for leading our front office for the past three years and most importantly for helping put the final pieces in place for the roster that delivered Denver and our fans their first NBA Championship,” Kroenke said. “Calvin’s knowledge of the game, his passion for scouting, and his long history as a player and executive in the NBA helped lift our organization to new heights which we will continue moving forward. We are grateful to Calvin for his eight years with the Nuggets and know his place in Nuggets history as our first championship winning GM will be honored for years to come.”
