“Shocked” is by far the best way to describe the reaction pro hoops habitues had to the news that the Nuggets gave head coach Michael Malone the pink slip. It wasn’t simply that he had paced the sidelines for the blue and yellow over the last decade, or that he was just two years removed from giving the mile-high franchise its first National Basketball Association championship since it set up shop in 1967. More than anything else, the timing of the decision of the principals at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment had pundits looking in askance, what with the regular season about to end in five days.
All things considered, the only plausible reason for the Nuggets deciding to move on from Malone pronto stems from their desire to go deep in the 2025 Playoffs. Clearly, they saw the alarming swoon — a mere six wins in 15 matches through the last month, with four straight losses and counting — and figured a change was necessary to salvage the season. And, yes, they had cause to act with dispatch, especially with reigning Most Valuable Player awardee Nikola Jokic putting up career-best numbers and yet seeing little in return.
To be fair, the head honchos likewise fired general manager Calvin Booth, with whom Malone was at odds in regard to the Nuggets’ roster makeup. Not that the front office had much leeway to operate following their title run in 2023; as with all others in the league, the new collective bargaining agreement severely crimped options insofar as personnel movement was concerned. Still, there could be no denying the quality — or lack thereof — of the product on the floor, Jokic’s consistent brilliance notwithstanding.
Whether the Nuggets will be able to reap the intended benefits of the change remains to be seen. The good news is that erstwhile lead assistant David Adelman can best be described as both sharp and respected, and will, if nothing else, not be wanting in terms of Xs and Os. That said, it’s hardly fair to expect miracles from a late fill-in. Systemic infirmities never get solved quickly, and the very manner in which the divorce with Malone was handled underscores a dearth of patience from ownership.
The Nuggets have their work cut out for them. Their strength of schedule is among the worst in the NBA, and they’re on the losing end of tiebreakers vis-a-vis the rest of the contenders. True, there is always a chance of success whenever Jokic suits up. On the other hand, he can do only so much to make up for the shortcomings of those around him. Malone or no, they need no small measure of luck to avoid the play-in tournament, let alone go far in the postseason.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
