Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was fired after working with the team for the past 10 years. Not only is Malone out, but General Manager Calvin Booth was also let go in April 2025. So, why did they get fired from the Nuggets?
Below, we’re breaking down everything we know so far about Malone’s firing.
Who Is Mike Malone?
Malone is from Queens, New York, and has worked as a basketball coach since the 1990s. He started out as an assistant coach at the Friends School of Baltimore, then moved onto coaching for Oakland Golden Grizzlies, Providence Friars, Manhattan Jaspers, the New York Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New Orleans Hornets, the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings and the Denver Nuggets.
“They felt like the signs were there that this season was not going to end well.”@ShamsCharania with more insight on the Nuggets firing head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth. pic.twitter.com/rlR6xdoX9E
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 8, 2025
Why Was Michael Malone Fired by the Nuggets?
The Denver Nuggets explained their decision to fire Malone. In the team’s April 2025 announcement, Denver’s team owner, Josh Kroenke, explained that the decision to let go of Malone “was not made lightly and was evaluated very carefully, and we do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver and our fans everywhere,” per CBS Sports.
“While the timing of this decision is unfortunate, as Coach Malone helped build the foundation of our now championship level program, it is a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now,” Kroenke added in his statement. “Championship level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season, and as we look to the future, we look forward to building on the foundations laid by Coach Malone over his record-breaking 10-year career in Denver.”
Toward the end of Kroenke’s announcement, the team’s owner insisted that there was “no amount of gratitude that [they] can properly convey to his contributions since he joined our franchise in 2015.”
“It is with our utmost respect that we would like to thank Coach Malone for the most successful decade in Nuggets history, setting the all-time wins record and helping deliver Denver our first championship,” Kroenke concluded.
Do the Nuggets Have a New Coach?
At the time of publication, the Nuggets have not announced a new permanent coach to replace Malone. However, for the time being, Assistant Coach David Adelman is serving as Denver’s interim head coach, per CBS Sports.
