Over the last 10 seasons, Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone took a rebuilding franchise and turned it into a perennial title contender. He helped develop Nikola Jokic from a second-round pick into one of the best players of all time. And the pair led the franchise to its first and only NBA title two years ago. However, it seems that despite being in a position for a third straight 50-plus win season, the Nugget’s ownership felt a change was needed on the bench, and now.
In a stunning move, Denver fired Malone on Tuesday with just three games left in the season and a top-four record in the Western Conference. Yet, he is not the only one getting his walking papers because the organization also ousted general manager Calvin Booth. The decision is one of the most shocking during a season filled with head-scratching developments.
With all of that in mind, let’s look at the six biggest winners and losers from the Denver Nuggets firing Mike Malone and Calvin Booth.
Loser: Mike Malone
Being a head coach in professional sports is as tough as it’s ever been. Elite coaches with proven resumes are getting shockingly fast hooks in the biggest what-have-you-done-for-me-lately era in sports. Malone is the latest to get caught up in the absurd expectations of NBA franchises. The Nuggets move on from the only man to ever win them a championship and their all-time leader in victories (471). The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Winner: Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings were the first team this season to fire their head coach. They will be in the market for a new leader of their bench this summer. A reunion with Malone — who coached them between 2013 and 2015 — will certainly be in play. The Kings have a win-now roster, and Malone is a win-now coach. The big question is whether Vivek Ranadivé is willing to shell out big bucks for a man he fired a decade ago.
Loser and Winner: Nikola Jokic
A seismic decision like firing the head coach and GM a week before the playoffs does not happen without the approval of top star Nikola Jokic. If he was okay with such a major change at this point, he must feel he will be better off without Malone. But there are also risks. Together, they made the Nuggets an elite team in the conference.
The coach proved he knew how to maximize the reigning MVP’s talent. Jokic will put up numbers with anyone, but a different coach doesn’t mean he will win as consistently. That’s why he is a winner and loser in this decision.
Winner: Monty Williams, Sam Cassell, and other available coaches
After Malone’s firing, the Denver Nuggets job becomes the most sought-after in the game. Being their new head coach means having the best player on the planet and some solid secondary pieces. There is no better situation in the NBA to win now, and win big. Expect names like Monty Williams, Taylor Jenkins, and Sam Cassell to be clamoring for an interview with the franchise this summer.
Loser: Denver Nuggets fans
Malone was able to bring the Nuggets to an elite level they never saw in the era of George Karl and Carmelo Anthony or Doug Moe and Alex English. Under him, they weren’t just a good team, they were one with championship potential. The recent struggles of the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, and Chicago Bulls should be proof that talent is enough.
Excellent coaches are hard to find, and there is a real chance that the decision to fire Malone could bring an end to the era of fans having a title contender year in and year out.
Winner: Memphis Grizzlies
The Kings weren’t the only team to move on from their head coach during the season. The Memphis Grizzlies caught the basketball world off guard late last month when they fired head coach Taylor Jenkins. The Grizzlies have a great centerpiece in Ja Morant and some worthwhile pieces around him, like Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis is close to being a title contender, and the organization could see Mike Malone as the man to bring them their first NBA championship as well.