Carmelo Anthony believes one team should be on the phone with Michael Malone immediately: the San Antonio Spurs.
Speaking on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast following the stunning firing of Malone by the Denver Nuggets, Anthony made a strong case for why San Antonio should be in the market for the veteran coach.
“If I’m San Antonio, I’m going to get Mike Malone,” the Hall of Fame forward said.
Anthony praised Malone’s coaching resume, leadership style, and overall presence, calling himself a “fan” of the 53-year-old.
“I would love to see him get a job ASAP. Like, San Antonio should be talking to him. That’s a great conversation,” Anthony added.
Malone’s dismissal came just three days before the 2025 NBA Playoffs, with the Nuggets sitting at 47-32 and tied for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
The firing caught many across the league off guard, especially considering Malone’s status as the winningest coach in Nuggets franchise history.
He guided Denver to a championship in 2023 and helped establish a long-term winning culture around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
NBA insider Shams Charania revealed that the split stemmed from an internal rift between Malone and general manager Calvin Booth.
Charania described the relationship as a “cold war” and noted that the decision was based on more than just recent losses.
“The way the season was going, four straight losses in a row… the Nuggets believed that something needed to change now,” Charania reported on ESPN.
He explained that ownership, led by Josh Kroenke, wanted to “flip the culture” ahead of the postseason and viewed Malone’s removal as necessary for a spark.
Charania added that the timing surprised both Malone and Booth, as well as the Nuggets’ players, who were addressed by Kroenke following the firing.
This marks just the second time in NBA history that a head coach has been dismissed this late in the regular season, matching the 1981 firing of Hubie Brown.
Assistant coach David Adelman was promoted to interim head coach for the rest of the year, as Denver prepares to enter the postseason without the man who led their title run two years ago.
Anthony, who played under Malone in Denver during the early stages of both of their careers, said the Spurs should act quickly.
San Antonio, which sits near the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 32-47, has spent the season developing 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama and rookie Stephon Castle.
With Gregg Popovich entering the final stages of his Hall of Fame career, the Spurs could soon be in search of a successor.
Anthony’s comments highlight Malone’s league-wide respect, particularly among former players who have worked with him.
“I don’t really know what happened,” Anthony admitted on the podcast. “But I’m a fan of Mike Malone — personally. I’m a fan of him.”
The move also follows the Memphis Grizzlies’ decision to part ways with Taylor Jenkins, adding to a wave of late-season coaching turmoil.
Denver’s recent skid, which includes seven losses in its last ten games, played a part in the timing, according to Charania.
Despite holding a top-five offense, the Nuggets’ drop in defensive rating concerned team executives heading into the playoffs.
