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Nuggets rumors: Russell Westbrook thrown under bus again after Michael Malone firing

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Julian Ojeda | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 12:35 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets made headlines earlier this week after firing head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth on Tuesday, despite the team holding a 48-32 record and sitting as the fourth seed in a tight Western Conference playoff race. The decision to part ways with Malone, the winningest coach in franchise history, has drawn further scrutiny following new reporting about alleged preferential treatment toward veteran guard Russell Westbrook.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Ramona Shelburne, tension within the organization may have been exacerbated by Malone’s handling of Westbrook, who was reportedly absent during an optional team gathering on Tuesday morning. While every other player attended the session at Ball Arena amid a four-game losing streak, Westbrook traveled to Los Angeles, where his family resides, multiple sources told ESPN.

Players and assistant coaches arrived at the practice court at 10:30 a.m. local time, unaware that Malone had already been informed of his dismissal. Only superstar center Nikola Jokic had prior knowledge, having had a one-on-one conversation with team governor Josh Kroenke earlier that morning.

“He told me, ‘We made a decision.’ So it was not a discussion. It was a decision,” Jokic said Wednesday night following Denver’s 124-116 win over the Sacramento Kings. “He told me why. And so I listened. And I accepted it.”

Russell Westbrook’s treatment sparks locker room tension as Nuggets part ways with Michael Malone

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Shortly after, players were called into an 11 a.m. meeting with Kroenke, where they were informed that Malone, who led the team to a championship in 2023, had been relieved of his duties.

“It’s just so disrespectful,” one source close to the situation told ESPN. “That’s not how you treat a championship coach.”

The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones reported further fallout, highlighting how Malone’s public support of Westbrook — particularly after a costly late-game mistake in a 140-139 double-overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves — led to a fracture in the locker room. In that game, Westbrook committed a critical turnover and foul that helped the Timberwolves escape with the win, despite a 60-point triple-double performance from Jokic.

“Ultimately led to a loss of credibility among the team’s key players,” Amick and Jones wrote. “It was one thing when Malone handled Jokić and Murray with more leniency than the rest of their group. But affording Westbrook that sort of treatment, even with his Hall of Fame resume, wasn’t received well by some.”

Westbrook, in his 17th NBA season, has played in 73 games for the Nuggets this year, averaging 13.2 points, 6.1 assists, five rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44.8% from the field and 32.6% from beyond the arc.

Denver will aim to stabilize its locker room and finish the regular season on a high note. The Nuggets are set to host the Memphis Grizzlies (47-33) on Friday night at 9 p.m. ET before concluding their season on the road against the Houston Rockets (52-28) on Sunday afternoon.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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