Michael Malone, who coached the Denver Nuggets to the NBA title in 2023 and has led them to eight consecutive winning seasons, was fired Tuesday, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
Also out in the stunning move is general manager Calvin Booth, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had yet to announce the dismissals.
The Nuggets are 47-32 this season with three games left and in fourth place in the Western Conference but have dropped four consecutive games and are in a logjam of teams fighting for home-court advantage in Round 1 of the playoffs. Denver won the title in 2023 and lost Game 7 at home in the West semifinals a year ago to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Malone had the fourth-longest tenure of any active NBA coach, behind only the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich, Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra and Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr.
