Nuggets Coach and General Manager Dismissed Days Before the Start of the NBA Playoffs
Just days before the start of the 2024-2025 NBA Playoffs, it was announced by Shams Charania that Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone has been dismissed from his coaching duties. Also, general manager Calvin Booth was also fired. Lead assistant David Adelman will now serve as the Nuggets interim head coach. Denver has lost their last four games and has dropped from the third seed in the Western Conference to the fourth spot. One of the biggest questions is why now? The Nuggets have just three games left of their regular season, was this really the smartest time to let go of both their head coach and their general manager?
Malone is the winningest coach in Nuggets franchise history. With his coaching, and leadership abilities, he was able to help the Nuggets win their first franchise championship back in 2023. Last season, they certainly had the opportunity to go win back-to-back championships, but they were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s certainly an odd time to get rid of your winningest head coach in franchise history as well as your general manager. Especially, when your three-time NBA MVP has the opportunity to win his fourth MVP Award in five seasons. Nikola Jokić has been on a tear this year, averaging about 30 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, and a block on 58 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent from three-point range.
In their final three games of the regular season, the Nuggets will face the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Houston Rockets. They are currently a game and a half behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the third spot in the Western Conference. However, four teams, the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies are just half a game behind the Nuggets. If the Nuggets lose all three of their final games, they could possibly slide down to the seventh or eighth seed which would make the Nuggets play in the Play-In Tournament. While Denver struggled at the absolute worst time in the season, was the firing of Malone and Booth for the right reasons? Can this team make a deep playoff run? Or will the team fail without their winningest coach in franchise history?
