Coach Fired. GM Out. What’s Next for the Nuggets?
A word of advice for whoever ends up coaching the Denver Nuggets—or even for the next NBA champion: don’t buy a house, just rent.
These days, winning a championship doesn’t guarantee job security in the NBA. Just look at recent history:
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Frank Vogel led the Lakers to a title in 2020—gone within two years.
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Mike Budenholzer took the Bucks to the top in 2021—fired two years later.
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Michael Malone helped bring Denver its first title in 2023—and now he’s out too.
The NBA hasn’t seen many true shocks since the Luka Doncic trade, but the Nuggets pulled one off by firing Malone with less than a week left in the regular season. Sitting at fourth in the West, the move blindsided players, and left the rest of the league just as puzzled. GM Calvin Booth was also shown the door (technically, his contract wasn’t renewed), despite tensions with Malone that weren’t unusual in coach-GM dynamics. Booth preferred his younger draft picks, while Malone leaned on veterans. The friction was real—but so are these situations across the league.
What truly stunned people was the timing. Who fires their coach right before the playoffs?
Reports say even Malone and Booth were shocked. It seems ownership, led by Josh Kroenke, saw the late-season slump—four straight losses—and a deteriorating coach-GM relationship as signs of deeper trouble.
But did this move help solve things, or just throw fuel on the fire?
Playoffs Are Still On—But Uncertainty Reigns
For now, Denver is still playoff-bound. David Adelman, the next man up, will try to steer the ship. Kroenke called the change a necessary “jolt” to revive the season:
“We were heading toward an early exit,” he said in a team-released interview. “We wanted to find a way to squeeze as much juice out of the season as possible.”
But is there any juice left?
Defense has been Denver’s Achilles’ heel for months—they’ve been bottom-10 in that department since the All-Star break. The team misses perimeter defenders like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who Booth let go to cut costs. Westbrook brings energy, but he’s not fixing that end of the floor.
The Western Conference is a battlefield, regardless of seeding. Health will be key. Jamal Murray’s status is still up in the air, and they need the 2023 version of him to make a deep run. With Jokic in the lineup, the Nuggets are always dangerous—but their margin for error is razor thin. Adelman can only do so much.
Who’s the Next GM?
Expect some familiar names to be tossed around—Bob Myers, maybe Tim Connelly, or Dennis Lindsey.
But don’t count on a high-profile hire.
Why? First, big names come with big salaries, and the Kroenke family isn’t known for spending lavishly—not in the NBA, NFL (Rams), or Premier League (Arsenal). Booth’s exit came after a season-long contract negotiation fell apart over money. So, it’s unlikely they’ll shell out now.
Second, the job isn’t as appealing as it looks. Jokic is a generational player, and that’s a strong foundation—but the roster is financially locked in. Murray has a fresh $208 million deal, Gordon is tied up for three more years at $104 million, and Jokic is on a max. That’s a near-luxury tax lineup already.
Plus, Denver doesn’t have their 2024 first-round pick (that goes to Orlando), nor their 2027 or 2029 picks (Oklahoma City owns those). The draft won’t be a resource for adding depth.
A new GM might explore trading Michael Porter Jr. for better fit, but his value is limited. Realistically, the job will be about finding affordable role players to fill in the gaps—not an easy gig.
Next Coach Has a Tight Window
The Western Conference isn’t getting easier. Oklahoma City and Houston, young and loaded with picks, are now at the top. The Lakers have Doncic as a bridge to the future. San Antonio has Wembanyama and is on the rise. Even Portland might be cooking something up.
Whoever gets the Nuggets job will be under immediate pressure to win—and quickly—before Jokic, now 30, starts to decline even slightly.
Yes, it’s still a coveted job—but it’s far from simple. The next coach will have to walk the tightrope of keeping aging stars productive while integrating cheap role players and developing youth.
And even if they somehow pull off another title?
History says their job still won’t be safe.
