Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Details Emerge Regarding Nuggets Firing Michael Malone, Calvin Booth

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Nathaniel Holloway | Last updated Apr 8, 2025 3:29 PM ET

It has been a solid season thus far for the Denver Nuggets as they currently sit near the top of the Western Conference standings.

Denver had a slow start to the season but that has changed as they currently sit fourth in the West standings with a 47-32 record.

Of course, the Nuggets are currently tied in the loss column with five other teams as the playoff race heats up with the regular season ending on Sunday.

Denver has also lost four consecutive games and have dropped seven of their last 10 contests which caused them to make two surprising moves on Tuesday.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Denver had fired head coach Michael Malone as well as their general manager Calvin Booth on Tuesday.

Full clean out: The Denver Nuggets are also firing general manager Calvin Booth, sources tell ESPN. Michael Malone and Booth both out today. pic.twitter.com/FvqOAFyOKy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 8, 2025

This was a surprising move with the playoffs a week away and the Nuggets still fighting for a higher seed in the standings.

While many have since questioned why the Nuggets decided to do so, NBA insider Chris Haynes revealed one major reason.

According to Haynes, Denver and Booth failed to agree on a contract extension before the 2024-25 season, which may have caused them to pull the trigger on firing him before the playoffs and offseason begins.

Denver Nuggets and Calvin Booth failed to reach terms on an extension that both parties felt was satisfactory before the 2024-25 season got underway, sources tell me. Booth, instrumental in helping the franchise capture a title, was on an expiring contract.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 8, 2025

Of course, Booth played a major role in helping the Nuggets win a championship in 2022-23, which was the first title in franchise history.

Despite this, Denver clearly felt that it was the perfect time to relieve Booth of his duties ahead of the offseason and his firing likely also played a role in why they decided to fire Malone as well.

While the contract dispute between the Nuggets and Booth may be one reason why they decided to get rid of him, it is still a very questionable decision with the playoffs a week away.

The decision could also lead to major moves taking place in the offseason as the NBA world now has their eyes on Denver’s star players, including Nikola Jokic.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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