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The Denver Nuggets made a spectacular move a few days before the NBA playoffs.
Manager Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth were both fired Tuesday, Nugget was announced via social media.
Long-time Malone’s top assistant, David Adelman will assume interim coaching duties for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Denver has three games left in the regular season.
“This decision has not been underestimated and has been highly regarded. It is only intended to give the group the best chance to take part in the 2025 NBA Championship and win another title for Denver and his fans.”
“The timing of this decision is disappointing, but as Coach Malone helped build the foundation for his current championship-level program, it’s a necessary step to ensure he can compete at the highest level right now.”
Kroenke reiterated this season that “the standards and expectations remain for championship level.” He also thanked Malone for his contributions to what Kroenke called the “most successful decade” in franchise history.
The shooting came just two seasons after Malone, who left the franchise’s most-winning coach, led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship.
There was more friction between Malone and the booth than the construction of the roster. Booth drafted Christian Brown and acquired Julian Stroser and Payton Watson through the draft. The Nuggets lost key players (Bruce Brown and Kentavius Caldwell Pope) on the 2023 Championship team.
Malone and Booth tried to find a common ground and publicly declare that they understand where others came from. Malone wanted to win the game with proven veterans, but Booth had to pay attention to the team’s pay while developing his draft picks.
For the most part, it worked. After No. 1 Oklahoma City, the Nuggets were one of the better teams in the West this season.
Sitting at the fourth-place seed in the 47-32 Western Conference, the Nuggets have suffered consistency after losing four games in a row, despite the three most valuable player, Nikola Jokic Center posting historic numbers. The Nuggets are now only a small part of the play-in.
Adelman attracted head coaching interviews during his recent employment cycle and considered him one of the top assistants available this year. David, son of former NBA coach Rick Adelman, spent most of his life around the NBA. Known to be an offensively oriented coach, Adelman evolved his father’s legacy of turning big men into offensive centerpieces. With Jokic as one of the dominant NBA units, the Nuggets lead the league in game-by-game paint (58.4).
Malone, 53, coached almost 10 full seasons with the Nuggets, compiling a record of 471-327 (.590). He was hired in 2015 and took over the Denver team he had been rebuilt. Malone oversaw moderate improvements in his first three seasons with the Nuggets before successful success. Before his firing, Malone was trying to lead Denver to seven consecutive playoff appearances. He led Denver to a top three finish in the Western Conference in four of the team’s final five seasons.
The Nuggets hired Booth as assistant general manager in 2017, then promoted him to general manager in July 2020.
“I would like to thank Calbane Booth for leading the front office for the past three years. Most importantly, they set up the final piece on the roster that delivered the first NBA championship to Denver and fans,” Kroenke said.
“Calvin’s knowledge of the game, his passion for scouting and his long history as an NBA player have helped us take our organization to new heights and we will continue to move this forward. We are grateful to know his place in Nuggets’ history during his eight years with the Nuggets.
The Nuggets will play their first game with Adelman as interim coach facing the King in Sacramento on Wednesday night.