Former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone had built a laudable resume at the helm. 10 years with the franchise. Its only title. 6 straight postseasons, with now a seventh locked up. 8 straight seasons of 45-plus wins. Even on the heels of the Grizzlies‘ firing Taylor Jenkins, Malone’s firing came as a shock.
Reports surfaced claiming a dysfunctional relationship between players, coach and the organization’s higher ups, partly over the way veterans like Russell Westbrook were preferentially deployed by Malone over younger players like Jalen Pickett and Julian Strawther. General manager Calvin Booth was also fired.
But Nuggets fans are indebted to Malone, or “Coach Moach,” as some call him, for what he brought to the franchise during his tenure. Commenters on social media expressed near universal support for his farewell letter that appeared as an ad in the Denver Post on Sunday.
Michael Malone Will Be Missed by Denver Nuggets Faithful
After thanking the franchise-owning Kroenke family, staff and the players, Malone concluded the letter, titled “Thank You Nuggets Nation” and accompanied by a photo of Malone kissing the Larry O’Brien trophy, by addressing fans:
To Nuggets Nation, it has been it has been my absolute pleasure to lead and fight for our team every night. To help bring Denver its first NBA Championship is an accomplishment that I will always cherish. I will be forever grateful for the unwavering love and support you showed me and my family. Denver is home, and being your coach has been my privilege.
“Class. Pure class,” one fan said.
“Moach will be in the rafters one day,” commented another. And so on:
“Class act Malone thanks for all your hard work and bringing the title to Denver. I have been a fan for 45 years now and that was the greatest day ever as a fan of the Nuggets.”
“thank you so much mike malone what a disrespectful & shameful act by the kroenke family. 4 games before the playoffs with a coach who gave you your first title. good luck mike, windy city would love you.”
“Moach, Best coach Ever!!! You will be missed! Thank you so much for coaching our Nuggets and for bringing us a championship! We love you! Good luck in your future endeavors.”
“Wish Coach Malone and his family all the best. Nuggets Legend and a really genuinely friendly person when I met him.”
Regardless of where he goes next, winning an organization’s first championship fosters a support base like nothing else can. It isn’t surprising to see the comment section devoid of the vitriol and wisecracks–the general “good riddance” sentiment–that can characterize coach firings.
Uncharted Waters in Nikola Jokic Era
Ending the season under interim head coach David Adelman, the Nuggets still finished 50-32, good for 4th in the West and a first round matchup with the 5-seed Clippers. When Denver tips off at 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, April 19, they will do so for the first time in Nikola Jokic’s career missing Malone on the sidelines in the playoffs. Jokic’s rookie season was Malone’s first as Nuggets head coach.
In all but one of their six consecutive playoff berths, Denver has won at least a series. The year they didn’t, in 2022, the Nuggets played without injured co-star Jamal Murray for the entire season, losing in round one to the eventual champion Warriors.
Now they will attempt to navigate the postseason, taking on a Clippers team led by future Hall of Famers Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, without their accustomed skipper wielding the clipboard.
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