Former Nuggets HC Michael Malone Likely to Coach Again

After an ugly ending to his Denver Nuggets tenure, being fired with just three games left in their latest regular season and less than two years removed from an NBA Finals victory, former head coach Michael Malone feels he has more to prove at the helm of a team in the league within the near future.

And in reality, the wait might not be too long before Malone gets another shot as head coach of another group around the league.

According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, while Malone is signed on as an analyst with ESPN for this season, the former Nuggets head coach will likely be one of the top candidates mentioned for any potential openings across the league, along with former New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.

"Former Nuggets coach Michael Malone has agreed to a deal with ESPN but he still has coaching aspirations after a bitter ending in Denver. Malone has said if he were to coach again he would prefer a harmonious front office, which wasn’t the case in Denver," Washburn wrote. "He often clashed with general manager Calvin Booth about personnel decisions and both were fired by governor Josh Kronke in the final week of the regular season, less than two years after the Nuggets won a championship."

"Malone will be the first name mentioned for potential openings over the next few months with former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau as another strong candidate."

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Malone was notably productive in his tenure with the Nuggets. He coached for 10 seasons to log nearly 800 regular-season wins, a win-loss percentage of 59%, 80 playoff wins, and, of course, his 2023 NBA Finals victory.

He's got one of the more appealing resumes for an active coach around the league, but behind the scenes in Denver would be a bit of friction between Malone and the Nuggets front office that ultimately led to his demise with his decade-long home.

Malone and general manager Calvin Booth never quite got on the same page in the couple of years that followed that Finals victory, leading to a bit of drama behind the curtain, and inevitably required a hard reset from owner Josh Kronke. Fast forward to today, and it leads to both Booth and Malone out of the picture, with a whole new regime entering in Denver.

A far from picture-perfect ending for either side that's led to the former Nuggets head coach taking on a new role at ESPN rather than a new team for the season ahead. But things can change quickly.

If there's a fit open around the league in need of an experienced, championship-level coach to run the show, it's hard to see a coaching talent like Malone reside on the open market for too long, especially if his interest in coaching still remains. It might just need to follow with a better fit upstairs compared to what Malone is fresh removed from.

In the event that a successful pairing between Malone and another team and front office can come to light, we might see the former Nuggets coach with a fresh opportunity elsewhere in no time.

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