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Nuggets President Issues Apology After Michael Malone Firing

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 1:45 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets enter the NBA Playoffs with a No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and a first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers.

However, it won't be Michael Malone roaming the sidelines as the head coach for the Nuggets.

Malone was shockingly fired on April 8, just three games before the postseason. Malone, who was the coach in the 2023 NBA Finals victory, was fired alongside general manager Calvin Booth in a stunning turn of events.

On Monday, Nuggets president Josh Kroenke spoke to reports about the change, and he issued an apology for the swift moves on both Malone and Booth, per Brendan Vogt.

“To be frank, neither of them deserved it," Kroenke said. "And for that I apologize. I needed to be better. Ultimately, I made the decision that I did last week with the hope of trying to rejuvenate the group.”

Kroenke added that he thought about making the move right after the All-Star break, but he revealed why he ended up making the move.

“I need people that are policing the culture and pushing it forward on a daily basis," Kroenke added.

The Nuggets named David Adelman as the interim coach, and Kroenke revealed on Monday that Ben Tanzer is the interim GM, per Vogt.

Malone's time with Denver ended with a 471-327 record, including six straight trips to the playoffs and seven straight if he had finished the 2024-25 season.

The Nuggets did win all three games after Malone's firing, and Kroenke mentioned he wanted to "rejuvenate" the team.

Still, it was quite the decision, and now the Nuggets begin the NBA Playoffs on Saturday at home against the Clippers without Malone.

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

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