The Denver Nuggets have appointed Ben Tenzer as interim general manager following the dismissals of Calvin Booth and Michael Malone, team owner Josh Kroenke announced during a press conference on Monday.
Kroenke confirmed the move while emphasizing the respect he held for the former GM and head coach, both of whom played instrumental roles in Denver’s 2023 NBA championship run.
“They brought us our first championship, helped us establish a new culture, new standards that will continue to move on into the future,” Kroenke said. “And, to be frank, neither of them deserved it.”
Tenzer has been with the organization since starting as an intern around 2007 and has worked in various front office roles over the years, including most recently as Vice President of Basketball Strategy.
Kroenke explained the decision to install Tenzer on an interim basis was rooted in familiarity and timing, saying, “I know in the moment that Ben knows what I want and we need. And so Ben’s going to be at the helm for the playoffs and I have full confidence in his ability right now.”
With the postseason on the horizon and Denver taking the third seed in the Western Conference at 50–32, Kroenke stated that his immediate focus remains on finishing the season strong.
“We just finished the season like a freight train from what I can tell,” he said. “That first half [against Houston] was a little bit of a slog, but I thought our energy was great… we came out with the right mindset in the first half—that showed a group that still has a lot of resolve and a lot of belief in where they’re headed this year.”
When asked about the decision-making process that led to the firings, Kroenke said the shift had been building over time, identifying two critical moments of hesitation.
“One was last fall—around Thanksgiving at some point—when I was really feeling like things were not headed in a direction or up to my standards,” he said. “Then, fast forward to the All-Star break—we went on a little run… But when you have a roster like we do, with the best player on the planet, it can mask a lot of things.”
Kroenke emphasized accountability for the front office dynamics that unfolded under his leadership.
“I let certain things slip to a place they never should have been,” he said. “That’s why I say I failed both Calvin and Coach as a leader—because I let certain things slip… I needed to be better for the group—checking some personal feelings, my respect for both of them—to be a better person for the overall group.”
The Nuggets will enter the playoffs under assistant coach David Adelman, who assumed interim coaching duties following Malone’s departure.
While Kroenke did not commit to a timeline for a permanent general manager hire, he noted that decisions on the front office and coaching staff will be addressed after the season concludes.
“Once the season’s over I’m going to sit down, take a few days break, really think about everything and then we’re going to go attack it like we always do,” Kroenke said.
