The Nuggets made the stunning decision to part with head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth earlier this week. Before the news broke, Denver did indeed inform its superstar Nikola Jokic that Malone, with whom Jokic had spent his entire career with, would not be continuing with the franchise, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
“I knew a little bit before everybody,” Jokic said. “And (team president and governor Josh Kroenke) told me, ‘We made a decision.’ So it was not a discussion. It was a decision, and he told me why. So I listened and I accept it.”
In the wake of the move, the Nuggets picked up a win over the Kings under interim coach David Adelman. According to The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando, the coaching staff tried to give players more flexibility to be communicative, including Jokic explaining plays and using the whiteboard during the team huddle.
“People say that we are vulnerable, but the beast is always the strongest or the most dangerous when they’re vulnerable,” Jokic said. “Maybe (Kroenke) woke up the beast. I mean, when someone wants to wake somebody up or change the energy, that’s probably what they do. In my country, if somebody gets fired … probably you’re the next (to go). So I think it definitely changed something, and they got the reaction that they wanted, probably.”
Jokic added that the change simply reflected the nature of the NBA and that the Nuggets needed to process the move quickly with the playoffs looming. Still, the three-time MVP developed a close relationship with Malone and made sure to reach out and check on him afterward.
“It was a 10-year relationship,” Jokic said. “So it was just, it was a heavy day for everybody. Especially for him and his family.“
Would Kuminga and Post be enough to get Joker in San Francisco?
The entire Warriors roster is not enough for Jokic.
Lol what?
No.
I guess you didn’t hear. They already made the trade. He’ll be ready for the Clippers game.
If Nico starts running the nuggs it is.
Try it in 2k
Letting Looney and GP2 walk and then sending Dray, Kuminga, Moody, a 1st and an unprotected 1st, a 2nd, and maybe getting a third team involved would be a START in trade negotiations.
——what a dumb trade idea. No way the mostly vacant Denver GM office agrees to something like that! You’re idiotic, Chosen Dud.
There. No need to reply and viciously LAMBAST my comment; I took care of it.
*Add TJD to the trade offer
If the warriors want Jokic it would cost curry which won’t happen
But the Mavs wanted AD and decided to give up Luka so who knows
Nuggets wouldn’t even think of trading Jokic for Curry.
@Nrg82 , nice work bro. Nobody talking about the article.
You must run a competing board to HoopsRumors because you do a great job of driving posters away.
You dont say, lol. like every other board on here. Thought you would of noticed that by now. Or are you a burner for Davey?
No. It’s hard to believe you’re serious.
C-Daddy is correct
Going to LA when LeBron’s gone.
Kuminga and Post for Christian Braun…
The warriors have way too many bigs…no need for Jokic, right?
Argh, I’ll keep Braun thanks.
Kerr despises bigs and would bench Jokic lmao
Kerr can’t work with centers the only ones he tolerates are the Andrew bogut or Zaza pachulia types that only rebound and start for jump balls
Demarcus cousins was great in golden state right?
Cousins was pretty good, but also his MPG went from 36.2 to 25.7 and he also was injured, so it’s too hard to say one way or another, again, because Kerr despises bigs and should be fired already because of it.
Cousins and AD cooked together on the Pels.
My American counterparts aren’t exactly familiar with sarcasm, especially Australian sarcasm. If you had to guess which troll I’m trolling. Who would you say? Because I’m sure in Davey Js head, this is a fair trade and 100% happening. You’ll see, lol. You all get an upvote, yay. Every thread is Warriors thread, get on board.
It wasn’t a Warriors thread until you brought it up. I guess you have a thing Davey J. Are you jealous of Curry.
I’d do Scottie Barnes and Quickley for Jokic next season in a heartbeat.
Same. Wouldn’t do Tatum and Brown for Joker though.
Nuggets would laugh at you though. How about Murray for Barnes? Murray’s a hometown (Toronto) guy.
For the people swearing Denver didn’t run it by him….
This supports them as correct.
It clearly says he knew before everyone. It’s interesting how you guys are apologists for CERTAIN players. The conversation, based on what he’s saying, very well could have been “we think we’re going to fire Malone.” Jokic: “I accept that.”
But people are so interested in pushing this country bumpkin narrative compared to other players in the league that you don’t think jokic is savvy enough to frame the conversation how he did. He certainly didn’t say “I told them I support him staying.”
His comments about “they woke up a beast” by firing Malone and the firing getting the desired effect also suggest he was on board. Because what beast and desired effect, one win?!
There’s zero evidence that Jokic was told “we think we’re going to fire Malone.”
“We made a decision.’ So it was not a discussion.” indicates a done deal.
Smh
Theres zero evidence of anything. Doesn’t stop anyone from speculating that LeBron knew AD was getting traded or that Ja Morant weighed in on Taylor Jenkins. Again, the only indication we have is that you only take what certain players say at face value. Smh.
Josh Kroenke said he made the decision. Jokic said that’s what he was told.
Why make stuff up?
Willfully naive. Ok, your opinion, fair enough
If Jokic wins the title this year he goes into the GOAT convo. Everything else means nothing: coaching, supporting cast, refs – nothing matters, just Jokic. This season is a strong one, with at least 10 teams with actual title-winning potential (most are in the West). If Jokic can win it all in a strong season with only himself out there, he is better than Lebron, who lost every time he did that.
It would also prove GSW should fire Kerr to let Curry live.
@Farcryfrompanther No. Don’t blame DaveyJ for ruining this board.
Nrg82 destroyed the thread with the first post.
The story is about Denver and Jokic. Nrg82 made sure nobody would talk about that.
Everyone blaming me for their own non-basketball posts AS USUAL – SMH
If you hate me, YOU are the problem!
I have nrg82 muted…for good reason.
Either talk ball, or get sent to the shadow realm. I talk ball first and foremost. I deal with the crybully losers second when I have a minute.
Lol
At Davey. That reason is you made up some BS stats about Steph, game winners compared to MJ. You got caught lying and you didn’t like it. You also don’t know ball and didn’t want to continually get proven silly.
Pretty sure you could just scroll past his comment and talk about hoops if you felt like it.
@ Sniper. I cant make others post, gotta do that all by themselves. Every story is about Golden State in one way or another. Where have you been? It’s annoying when one hi jacks every and any thread isn’t it? Especially a troll looking for attention yet asks the powers that be to delete or ban this guy and that guy when someone bites back or makes his foolish statements or made up stats look silly or completely fabricated.
Hard for someone to destroy a thread when you would have them muted!
Jokìc isn’t going to be a Warrior next season. He’s gonna go play with his buddy in L.A. Hachimura, Kleber, Vanderbilt, Vincent, Knecht, 2025 2nd round pick and that 2031 1st rd pick for Jokìc and Pickett.
Lakers can’t make a big 3 they literally just learned that from Westbrick
If Jokic gets traded to LA then LeBron would have to go to like Cleveland or something because of salaries
Different coach, Davis instead of Luka and Westbrook wasn’t on the same level as Jokic now is at that point in his career. The trade does work without moving LeBron, Luka or Reaves.
Moving the coach at this time. Seems insane to me. Unless there is something we don’t know. Just a couple of wks ago. Nuggets were pushing for two seed. Nuggets have a bad postseason. I can see changes coming. Jokic will never be one. You don’t move best player in the game. Who is comfortable in a small market. No no no.
Yeah there has to be something more to it…
Just doesn’t make any sense…