FILE– Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was fired by the team on Tuesday. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and announced the NBA team won’t extend the contract of general manager Calvin Booth on Tuesday.
David Adelman will assume the Nuggets’ head coaching role for the remainder of the season.
The winningest head coach in franchise history, Malone guided the Nuggets to their lone NBA title in 2023 when the team defeated the Miami Heat in five games.
Malone, 53, posted a 471-327 record during his 10 seasons with Denver, including 47-32 this season.
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“This decision 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,” Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, said in a statement.
The Nuggets have lost four in a row and seven of their past 10 games to fall into fourth place in the Western Conference. They sit a half-game up on four other teams with three games remaining on their schedule.
“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 said. “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.”
READ: Nuggets’ Michael Malone heading to NBA All-Star Game as coach
Prior to joining Denver, Malone posted a 39-67 record during parts of two seasons with the Sacramento Kings in 2013-14.
Booth, 48, was elevated to the team’s general manager in 2020 and is out of his job immediately.
“I want to thank Calvin Booth for leading our front office for the past three years and most importantly for helping put the final pieces in place for the roster that delivered Denver and our fans their first NBA Championship,” Kroenke said.
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“Calvin’s knowledge of the game, his passion for scouting, and his long history as a player and executive in the NBA helped lift our organization to new heights which we will continue moving forward. We are grateful to Calvin for his eight years with the Nuggets and know his place in Nuggets history as our first championship winning GM will be honored for years to come –-Field Level Media
