Michael Malone, recently dismissed as head coach of the Denver Nuggets, has joined ESPN’s team for the Western Conference Finals coverage. The announcement comes shortly after Malone was fired with three games left in the regular season.
Malone will appear on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” pregame and halftime studio show for the series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder defeated Malone’s former Nuggets in a seven-game second-round playoff series.
ESPN confirmed that Malone will work on-site at all games during the Western Conference Finals. He will join prominent analysts including Malika Andrews, Stephen A. Smith, Bob Myers, Kendrick Perkins, and Shams Charania.
The Nuggets concluded the 2024-25 regular season with a 50–32 record, securing the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
Malone’s firing on April 8 led to David Adelman taking over as interim head coach for the final three games. Despite the coaching change, Denver earned its seventh consecutive playoff berth but fell short in the Conference Semifinals.
The Western Conference Finals will kick off Tuesday night, with Malone providing insight from the studio.
