Inside The Nuggets

New Report on Nuggets Ownership's Frustration With Michael Malone

A new report reveals more details about the Denver Nuggets firing head coach Michael Malone

Jeremy Lambert

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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The Denver Nuggets made major changes to their organization on Tuesday, dismissing head coach Michael Malone and General Manager Calvin Booth.

The call came down from Nuggets President Josh Kroenke.

A new report from Tim MacMahon and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reveals more details around Kroenke's decision to part ways with Malone and Booth.

"Kroenke seriously pondered parting ways with the winningest coach in franchise history and the executive who had put together the final pieces of the Nuggets' championship puzzle. Kroenke wanted to clean house at the All-Star break, sources said, but an eight-game winning streak spared Malone and Booth."

The report indicates that there was a rift between Malone and Booth on roster construction and playing time, with Malone wanting to retain veterans like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown and Jeff Green while Booth wanted to develop Christian Braun, Watson, Julian Strawther, Zeke Nnaji and Jalen Pickett.

"They just saw the world completely differently," said one team source according to the report.

"If you're one of Calvin's guys, Malone doesn't want to play you," a team source said, flatly.

Instead of dismissing one and keeping the other, Kroenke decided to part ways with both.

booth
Feb 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth speaks to the media before a game against the Orlando Magic at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

According to the report, "If Kroenke would've picked a side, the thinking went, everyone on the losing side would've either had to get behind whichever side 'won' or lined up behind whomever was brought in as a replacement. Kroenke held Malone and Booth responsible for allowing their personal issues to negatively affect the organization, sources said."

Kroenke met with players on Tuesday and Wednesday after the decision was made to fire Booth and Malone.

"He said he saw that we weren't having fun," Michael Porter Jr. said. "And that he saw we weren't playing as hard as we could. So he wanted to come in here and help reestablish that as the basis of our culture."

The Nuggets responded with a 124-116 victory over the Sacramento Kings to maintain their standing in the Western Conference

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Jeremy Lambert
JEREMY LAMBERT

Jeremy is an avid OKC Thunder fan who has been writing about basketball, hockey, MMA, and pro wrestling for nearly two decades with bylines on Fightful, Fansided, and more.

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