Nuggets fire HC Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth days before playoffs

In a jaw-dropping and nearly unprecedented move, the Denver Nuggets have fired head coach Michael Malone just three games before the end of the regular season — despite the team being playoff-bound and only a year from winning the 2023 NBA Championship.

The Nuggets also announced that general manager Calvin Booth’s contract will not be renewed. Assistant coach David Adelman will take over head coaching duties for the rest of the season.

With Michael Malone being fired from Denver, FOUR of the last six NBA coaches to win the Finals are no longer with the team they won with 😲 pic.twitter.com/fp4f7V47gp

— ESPN (@espn) April 8, 2025

Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, called the decision “not made lightly” and said it was done “only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA championship.”

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Denver, currently 47-32 and locked in a fierce battle for home-court advantage in the West, is at the very least guaranteed a spot in the play-in tournament. The timing, however, is what makes the move truly historic. No NBA team has ever changed head coaches this late in the season while still in postseason contention.

This comes amid a rare four-game skid, capped by a 125-120 loss to Indiana on Sunday. Malone — known for his accountability — shouldered the blame after the defeat:

“How about me, as a head coach, not doing my job to the best of my ability,” he said. “We haven’t lost four in a row in a long time.”

Despite the struggles, superstar Nikola Jokić has continued to put up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 30 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game in another historic campaign.

The dismissal of Malone — who led the Nuggets to seven straight playoff appearances and the franchise’s first-ever NBA title — marks a stunning end to a hugely successful era in Denver. The ripple effects on the locker room, the fanbase, and even the broader Western Conference playoff picture are likely to be felt immediately.