Michael Malone was the one head coach that Nikola Jokic had ever had within the NBA, however it seems that the partnership could have run its course.
Matt Moore of Motion Community reported on Tuesday the Denver Nuggets star’s position within the shock firing of Malone by the staff. Moore notes that Jokic didn’t request a training change and was solely knowledgeable of the information earlier within the day earlier than it was introduced.
Nevertheless, Moore additionally reviews that Jokic’s evident frustration with this season performed a component within the decision-making strategy of Denver possession.
Malone had been the pinnacle coach of the Nuggets since 2015, which was additionally when Jokic was drafted by the staff. Underneath Malone’s management, Jokic blossomed right into a seven-time All-Star and three-time NBA MVP, additionally serving because the centerpiece of the Denver staff that received the championship in 2023.
However the Nuggets have misplaced each single recreation that they’ve performed thus far within the month of April and at the moment are 47-32 on the season, which has them on the verge of falling into the NBA play-in event. As we had been hearing for several months now, Malone additionally reportedly had elementary disagreements with GM Calvin Sales space (who was fired by the staff on Tuesday as properly).
As for Jokic, he had certainly sounded very pissed off with the state of affairs for the staff from the very beginning of the season. Although it might have run opposite to Jokic’s popularity for him to instantly request a training change, it appears like his non-verbal language spoke loudly sufficient to possession.
Nuggets proprietor Josh Kroenke has since hinted at why exactly the team chose to fire Malone and Booth. However with simply three video games left within the common season, it’s a main roll of the cube for Denver, even with a star of Jokic’s caliber main the cost for them.
