Former Nuggets coach Mike Malone beginning new endeavor for Western Conference Finals

After a season that most would consider successful, Head Coach Mike Malone was fired by the Denver Nuggets on April 8, with just three games remaining in the 2024-2025 NBA season. 

The Nuggets ended as the fourth seed, with a 50-32 record, the same as the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.

During the time he was fired, Denver was on a four-game losing streak, and it seemed as if morale around the organization was down. 

David Adelman replaced Malone and coached them up until their game seven loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

So, after coaching the team for the past ten years and being crowned champion not too long ago, Malone decided to join ESPN’s coverage of the Western Conference Finals. 

This will feature a matchup of the Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Last season, the Nuggets were knocked out by Minnesota, so interestingly enough, he will be commentating on the two teams Denver has had problems with in the not-so-distant past. 

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It is important to note that Malone did not just start and end his career in Denver. He was a long-time Assistant Coach before landing his first gig as Head Coach for the Sacramento Kings. It wasn’t until two seasons with the Kings that he was brought to Denver. 

He played key roles in developing Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray over players like Jusuf Nurkić and Emmanuel Mudiay. 

When the Western Conference Finals kick off on Tuesday, May 20, keep an eye out for Mike Malone on ESPN's coverage team.

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