The NBA world was stunned when Michael Malone was fired as the Denver Nuggets head coach on Tuesday, but did Nikola Jokic see it coming?
There is still a lot of speculation about that but, according to NBA insider Adam Mares, Jokic addressed the team in a meeting after the firing.
Mares said that Jokic told the Nuggets that this firing was beyond their control and certainly surprising, but they need to “not treat this as an end” to the season, according to a video shared by Grace on X.
Jokic clearly doesn’t want Malone’s departure to derail the squad with the playoffs right around the corner, but what does this really mean for Denver’s future?
Jokic reportedly addressed the team tonight at a get-together….
So will the team respond and play well vs. Sacramento, or will they play hungover from Dario’s (presumed) birthday bash… only time will tell 👀 https://t.co/aZ349FjV1z pic.twitter.com/6bHIE7c722
— Grace (@ErinBurr27) April 9, 2025
Right after the firing, some people said the season was over for the Nuggets.
They claimed that the front office knew they’d have no luck in the postseason, so they fired Malone and threw in the towel early.
But the Nuggets can never throw in the towel while Jokic is on the roster.
He has had such an incredible and consistent season that this team still has a chance of making noise in the playoffs even without Malone.
This will be a chance to prove a lot of things, and anyone who thinks the Nuggets are completely neutralized might have another thing coming.
The Nuggets are currently fifth in the West, but the standings are very tight.
Regardless of where they land, they still have the same roster and there is a lot of talent on it, including arguably the best player in the league.
Jokic doesn’t want his team to get discouraged or sidetracked by this firing because he still believes in them.
Now it’s time for the Nuggets to give fans something to believe in during this very chaotic and unpredictable time.
