The 2024-2025 NBA season has been filled with OMG moments. None seemed to have come more out of nowhere than the Nuggets firing Mike Malone earlier this morning. The news rocked the basketball universe due to its baffling timing. Malone was the winningest coach in Denver history and led the team to a ring in 2023. Not only that, they were positioned for another postseason appearance, with high odds on the 4th seed, meaning they’d have home-court advantage for at least 1 round.
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Regardless, the firing still occurred, and now the league is reacting. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked to weigh in on Malone’s dismissal ahead of his team’s matchup against the Suns. “You don’t expect anything like this this late in the season,” the nine-time NBA Champion stated.
He later added, “I have no idea on what was happening so I have nothing to comment on other than to wish Mike well.”
Kerr then brought up how this has been happening more often, citing the Memphis Grizzlies firing Taylor Jenkins just a few weeks ago. “It doesn’t seem right, but this is the business we are in,” the 59-year-old coach stated. However, Kerr did suggest one reason major decisions like this have been made. He pointed to the new occurrence of billionaires becoming team owners.
“One thing that’s happened is most teams are now owned by billionaires, big corporations,” he preached. “So we’re all more expendable.”
He’s not wrong. The turnover for big business is always a rotating door. It’s an aspect that many have begun to critique the NBA for, Kerr included. “I think a lot of owners aren’t that concerned with firing a guy and paying him off to go away.”
"We're all going to suffer a similar fate at some point. That's kind of the way it is."
Steve Kerr shares his thoughts on the firing of Nuggets coach Michael Malone earlier today pic.twitter.com/a7udVmKD8S
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 9, 2025
Kerr has also not been the only person to weigh in on Malone’s sudden firing. Shaquille O’Neal was incredibly displeased with Denver’s handling of the situation.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau admitted he was disappointed as well. “It’s the unfortunate part of the business. I’ve known Michael for decades. Unbelievable family, great coach.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla echoed the sentiments. “Every day I remind myself of my own mortality, and I think that’s what keeps me in a perspective and a gratitude of the opportunity that you have,” he said. Classic Joe Mazzulla.
Thibs, Mazzulla, and Kerr are all safe. For now. But as the NBA and its billionaires have proven this year alone. Nothing is for certain.
