The Denver Nuggets just pulled off what feels like the executive version of skydiving mid-surgery—they’ve fired head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth with only three games left before the playoffs. This isn’t just bad timing—it’s organizational chaos, bordering on negligence.
Denver, currently 47-32 and holding the 4-seed in the West, still has a real shot at the title. Let’s not forget—they won it all just two seasons ago with Malone leading the charge. That banner hasn’t even had time to fade.
Meanwhile, over in Golden State, Steve Kerr is entering his 11th year with the Warriors, backed by an ownership that actually values stability. The contrast couldn’t be clearer: while Denver scrambles to redesign the plane mid-flight, the Warriors continue flying theirs with the same trusted pilot.
Golden State’s run under Kerr has been nothing short of remarkable: four titles, six Finals appearances, and a decade of leadership that adapts instead of panics. They’ve weathered injuries, departures, and roster overhauls without ever hitting the self-destruct button.
Denver’s move makes the Grizzlies firing Taylor Jenkins look almost sensible. The Nuggets are essentially saying, “Let’s completely upend our leadership—right as our MVP is posting video-game stat lines.” It’s like rewiring your house during a dinner party.
What did Malone do wrong? Possibly not getting even more out of Nikola Jokić, who just put up 41-15-13 against Indiana. But that’s not a coaching problem—that’s an elite player doing elite things in the middle of front-office chaos.
As the Warriors get ready to face Phoenix tonight, they do so with the same coach who led them through both championships and rebuilds. Denver, meanwhile, heads into the postseason with interim coach David Adelman, who’s basically been handed the cockpit of a jumbo jet mid-turbulence.
Let’s not take for granted what we have in the Bay Area. While other teams gamble recklessly, the Warriors have built something deliberate, patient, and deeply rooted.
Denver is about to learn what Golden State already knows: you can have a generational star, but you can’t manufacture championship culture overnight. Dynasties are earned, not assembled in a panic.
