The Denver Nuggets made headlines last week when vice chairman Josh Kroenke announced the sudden firings of head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth. Fans and players alike were caught off guard. After all, Malone helped lead the Nuggets to a championship just one season ago, and Booth had built a roster praised across the league.
Josh Kroenke ‘Sorry But Not Sorry’ For Malone And Booth Firings
Kroenke, speaking publicly on Monday, admitted he felt remorse over how abruptly the moves were made. However, he made it clear he stands by the decision.
“The season is not over yet,” Kroenke said. “We just finished the season like a freight train as far as I can tell.”
While some may view his words as an olive branch, they also sound like a firm defense of the organizational reset.
Warning Signs Were Brewing
Kroenke revealed that concerns had been bubbling beneath the surface for some time. A critical turning point came on April 6, when Denver dropped a home game to the Indiana Pacers. It marked their fourth straight loss at a time when teams typically ramp up for the postseason.
Kroenke entered the locker room afterward and didn’t like what he saw.
“I could feel how flat the room was,” he said. “On a four-game losing streak heading into the playoffs with a flat locker room, I internalized how much I had let the room slip.”
For Kroenke, the vibe was unacceptable. The Nuggets, proud of their competitive culture, suddenly looked defeated before the games even mattered most.
The Standard of Nuggets Basketball
Kroenke emphasized that the Nuggets have set a high bar in recent years. From Nikola Jokic’s MVP dominance to winning the 2023 NBA championship, the franchise expects excellence now.
He didn’t just blame the players. He admitted he held himself accountable for allowing the atmosphere to deteriorate. But in his mind, the best way to fix it was clear: a leadership change.
“It was not up to standards of Denver Nuggets basketball,” Kroenke said.
He hinted that this wasn’t a rash decision. In fact, Kroenke noted there had been two earlier moments during the season when he questioned the direction of the team. Those concerns eventually boiled over after the loss to Indiana. It’s now common knowledge that there was a lot of infighting on the Nuggets as Malone and Booth held two different ideas on roster construction.
Early Returns Are Positive
Interestingly, Kroenke suggested that the firings had already produced results. Although he didn’t cite specifics, he spoke with renewed optimism about the team’s trajectory.
By his account, the team closed the season strong, resembling the powerhouse that fans expect to see. Whether this “freight train” momentum will carry into the playoffs remains to be seen, but Kroenke sounded confident.
Change can be unsettling, especially when it involves championship figures like Malone and Booth. Yet Kroenke appeared ready to endure criticism if it meant putting the Nuggets back on the right path.
No Regrets, But a Nod to the Past
Despite the drastic nature of the move, Kroenke’s tone blended apology with firm conviction. He acknowledged the difficulty of parting ways with two men who helped deliver a championship to Denver. Still, sentiment could not outweigh standards.
Kroenke made it clear: he is sorry that it had to happen, but he is not sorry that it did.
As the Nuggets enter a new chapter, the message from ownership is unmistakable—complacency will not be tolerated. Even past champions must evolve to meet the moment.
The coming months will reveal whether Kroenke’s gamble will pay off. For now, he is betting that boldness, not nostalgia, is the true spirit of Nuggets basketball.
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