Rival teams began to sense a shift in Denver when league insiders heard that Nikola Jokic’s patience was running out amid the Nuggets’ late-season collapse.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones, frustrations began building in mid-March following a 126-123 home loss to the last-place Washington Wizards — a defeat that reportedly left the three-time MVP “fuming.”
At that point, Denver’s defense had dropped to 22nd in the league after ranking eighth last season, signaling a major concern for a team that entered the year with championship aspirations.
That same stretch marked the beginning of head coach Michael Malone’s decline in support within the locker room, according to team and league sources cited by The Athletic.
Although Jokic did not publicly criticize Malone, the report suggests that teams across the league picked up on the All-Star center’s rising discontent as Denver’s form deteriorated.
The Nuggets have since parted ways with Malone, who was in his ninth season and led the franchise to its first NBA title in 2023.
His dismissal came just days before the postseason, a move not seen this late in a season since the early 1980s.
Denver also fired general manager Calvin Booth, opting for a sweeping organizational reset.
Jokic responded to the news on Wednesday after leading Denver to a 124-116 win over Sacramento, saying the change “definitely changed something,” and that “they got the reaction they wanted.”
That win snapped a four-game skid and kept the Nuggets tied with the Clippers for the fourth seed in the Western Conference standings.
While Jokic’s comments remained measured, the timeline provided by The Athletic suggests his concerns about the team’s trajectory had been growing behind the scenes for weeks.
Denver’s defense, once a cornerstone under Malone, was leaking points in critical moments, and their late-game execution had become inconsistent.
Jokic’s leadership has been described by teammates as steady and composed, but league sources indicated that even the Serbian star had begun to lose confidence in the group’s direction.
Now under interim coach David Adelman, Denver will attempt to regroup with three games left before the playoffs.
Adelman has served as Malone’s lead assistant since 2017 and is expected to maintain the team’s core system while addressing the immediate need for urgency and discipline.
Jokic, who notched his 32nd triple-double of the season in Wednesday’s win, expressed confidence in Adelman’s communication style.
“He’s going to keep it real,” Jokic said postgame, praising the interim coach’s ability to deliver messages in simple and direct terms.
The Nuggets (48-32) are tied with the Clippers and sit just a half-game ahead of the Grizzlies in a crowded Western Conference race.
Denver’s next two games will be crucial in determining home-court advantage in the first round and avoiding a potential slide into the play-in tournament.
