Nuggets Shake Up the NBA by Firing Malone and Booth Just Before Playoffs
Wow—talk about a shocker in the NBA. Just days before the playoffs, the Denver Nuggets have made a move that no one saw coming. They’ve fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with only three games left in the regular season. Yeah, you heard that right—three games left.
This isn't just some end-of-season restructure either. The Nuggets are currently fourth in the Western Conference, sitting at 47-32. They’re still in the thick of a playoff race, and this kind of shakeup? It’s historic. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, this ties the latest coaching change ever made in NBA history. The only other time something like this happened was back in 1981 when the Atlanta Hawks fired Hubie Brown. And back then? The Hawks were nowhere near the playoffs.
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Malone being let go is especially wild considering he led this team to a championship just two years ago, in 2023. That was Denver's first-ever title, and now? He’s out. In his 10 seasons with the Nuggets, he built a 471-327 record. That’s a .590 win percentage, and he got them to the playoffs six times. Not exactly the kind of résumé you’d expect to get a guy fired.
So what happened? Reports say there’s been tension between Malone and GM Calvin Booth for a while—disagreements on roster decisions, player development, and overall direction. The team's ownership apparently felt like the season was slipping and needed a jolt. In the official statement, vice chairman Josh Kroenke said it was a move made to give the Nuggets “the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship.”
Now David Adelman, long-time assistant and son of former NBA coach Rick Adelman, steps up as interim head coach. It’s his first time leading a team, and he’s doing it with everything on the line. No pressure, right?
Denver’s been stumbling lately, on a four-game losing streak. And despite having Nikola Jokić—arguably the best player in the league—they’ve struggled to find chemistry and depth. Defensively, it’s been a mess too. They’re giving up 117.1 points per game, which is among the worst in the league. That’s not what you want heading into the playoffs.
Booth’s departure isn’t quite as surprising, though. Since becoming GM in 2020, his track record with draft picks has been spotty. Outside of Christian Braun, there hasn’t been much success. Their 2024 pick DaRon Holmes II hasn’t played at all after tearing his Achilles.
It’s a bold move. It’s risky. And it’s got everyone wondering—can this team rally? Can they still make a deep playoff run? Or is this the start of a longer unraveling for the defending champs? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—the NBA drama just hit a whole new level.
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