Why did Nuggets fire coach Michael Malone going into ESPN game vs. Kings?
Former Kings coach Michael Malone was often asked about the latest turmoil and instability in Sacramento when he made his annual visits as head coach of the Denver Nuggets.
Malone seemed to enjoy taking subtle and not-so-subtle shots at his former team, but he won’t be around to answer those kinds of questions when the Nuggets visit the Kings on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The Nuggets made a stunning move Tuesday, firing Malone and general manager Calvin Booth just 11 days before the start of the NBA playoffs. That will be a big focal point when three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets face the Kings in a game that will be nationally televised by ESPN.
The Nuggets will be led by interim coach David Adelman, another name that is widely recognized in Sacramento. Adelman is the son of former Kings coach Rick Adelman, who steered Sacramento to eight consecutive playoff appearances from 1999-2006.
The Nuggets (47-32) are fourth in the Western Conference with four games remaining in the regular season. They have a half-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies in an intense battle for the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Kings (39-40) are ninth in the West after posting back-to-back road wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons. The Kings are trying to secure a home game in the first round of the play-in tournament.
Malone blasted Kings owner Vivek Ranadive when coach Mike Brown was fired in December.
“I’m not surprised that Mike Brown got fired, because I got fired by the same person,” Malone said. “And what really pissed me off about it was the fact that they lost (Thursday) night, fifth game in a row, I believe. Tough loss. ... They had practiced this morning. He does his postgame media, and he’s in his car going to the airport to fly to L.A. and they call him on the phone.
“No class, no balls. That’s what I’ll say about that.”
Malone spent less than two seasons in Sacramento, posting a 39-67 record before he was fired in December 2014. The Nuggets hired Malone the following year.
Malone had a 471-327 record over 10 seasons with the Nuggets. He led the team to its first NBA championship in 2023.
The Nuggets fired Malone after losing four in a row and 13 of 24 since the All-Star break. Team owner Josh Kroenke issued a statement explaining the move after the news was announced.
“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,” Kroenke said.
“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. 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.”
This story was originally published April 8, 2025 at 2:46 PM.
