Michael Malone Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets’ Connelly Talks Malone, Jokic, Barton

April 13th, 2018 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly confirmed today to reporters that head coach Michael Malone will return for the 2018/19 season, writes Gina Mizell of The Denver Post.

While Malone was always considered likely to continue coaching the Nuggets, the team’s inability to secure a playoff berth created a little speculation about his job security. In his end-of-season presser, Connelly dismissed the idea that the club would want to replace Malone.

“There’s improvement across all levels of our team,” Connelly said. “I guess (questioning Malone’s job status is) the unfortunate narrative of professional basketball, but ‘Mo’s done a fantastic job.”

While Malone will return next season, the same can’t necessarily be said of all the players on the Nuggets’ roster. Connelly acknowledged today that Denver will face some “pretty interesting financial decisions” this offseason, including a big one on Nikola Jokic.

There’s no doubt that Jokic will be a Nugget next season, but the team will have the option of exercising or declining his inexpensive team option — turning down that option would allow the Nuggets to re-sign Jokic as a restricted free agent, rather than risking losing him as an unrestricted free agent in 2019.

“He’s a guy that’s been tremendous in how quickly he’s developed and a guy that we love and he loves Denver. So, the sooner we can get his signature on a long-term contract, the better,” Connelly said, according to Arnie Stapleton of The Associated Press, hinting that the Nuggets may look to sign Jokic as an RFA this summer.

The Nuggets’ most noteworthy unrestricted free agent in 2018 will be Will Barton, who said this week that he’d “love” to re-sign with Denver, but would like a starting role going forward. For his part, Connelly said he hopes the Nuggets can get a deal done with Barton and keep him on their roster.

“He’s our guy,” Connelly said of Barton. “We love him and I think if he’s back in a Denver jersey, it’s good for both him and the team.”

Nuggets Notes: Jefferson, Malone, Chandler

January 19th, 2018 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Clippers riding a six-game winning streak, the Nuggets currently find themselves on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture. At 23-22, Denver is just a half-game back of the Clips and Pelicans, and one game back of the Trail Blazers, so it’s hardly time to panic yet. Still, as Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders writes, the Nuggets are one of a few teams treading water in the West right now.

Grouping Denver with the Pelicans and Blazers as middle-of-the-pack Western playoff contenders, Grizzard notes that the Nuggets’ late-game execution has been inconsistent with Paul Millsap on the shelf. Richard Jefferson attributes those struggles to the club’s overall youth: “I think guys are still learning. Most of the guys that are in these positions are in these positions for the first time. I think we’ll continue getting better as the season goes on.”

Here’s more out of Denver:

Jefferson was brought in at the start of the season to provide veteran leadership for the Nuggets, but the veteran forward has taken on a role in the club’s rotation within the last week, as Gina Mizell of The Denver Post details. “People forget — and I have to remind myself, for that matter — R.J. last year in Cleveland, on a team that went to the Finals, was playing 20 minutes a night,” head coach Michael Malone said of Jefferson. “He still has something left, and I have to give him a chance to play.”
Speaking of Malone, he’s under pressure this season to prove that he’s a coach capable of guiding the Nuggets to a spot in the postseason, according to Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post.
After parting ways with Roc Nation last May, Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler has returned to his old agency, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link). Chandler, who was being represented by Excel Sports for most of 2017, will be repped by Sam Permut with Roc Nation, says Amick. With a $12.8MM player option looming for 2018/19, Chandler will either be seeking a new team this summer or entering next season on an expiring contract.
Jamal Murray, who has been in the NBA’s concussion protocol this week, has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable for the team’s Friday game against Phoenix, per Mizell.

Michael Malone Suspended; Jokic Fine Rescinded

November 20th, 2017 at 6:21pm CST by clarkcrum

The NBA has suspended Nuggets head coach Michael Malone for one game without pay for entering the court, halting play and making contact with a game official during yesterday’s loss to the Lakers, the league announced today in a press release. Malone will serve his suspension tonight when the Nuggets travel to Sacramento to face the Kings.

The NBA also announced in the same press release that the fine given to Nikola Jokic for being ejected from yesterday’s game has been rescinded. The league says that Jokic properly received a technical foul for his actions but that he should not have been ejected.

Nuggets Notes: Murray, Nelson, Irving

November 19th, 2017 at 2:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Nuggets were in discussions with the Suns about an Eric Bledsoe trade, but it appears their decision not to offer too much for a new starting point guard is paying dividends. Jamal Murray, who has been Denver’s starting point guard since the beginning of the season, is playing well and the team is encouraged by his development.

“I love the pace he’s playing with,” said coach Michael Malone after a recent game (via Christopher Dempsey of NBA.com). “He’s got to set the pace that we want to play at, he’s got to be aggressive and he’s got to play with confidence. And you’re seeing that a lot more consistently right now. He’s starting to become a consistent starting point guard in the NBA.”

The 2016 No. 7 overall pick spent much of his playing time at shooting guard during his rookie season, but this year, he’s seeing all of his minutes at the one.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

Denver had a deal in place to trade Jameer Nelson to a lottery team for a protected second-rounder prior to the season, though the team could “not stomach” sending the 35-year-old to a bad team, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN. The Nuggets ended up waiving Nelson, a move that allowed the vet to pick his own suitor.
Malone would have liked to keep Nelson on the team, though he is supportive of the organization’s decision to let the veteran go, Lowe relays in the same piece. “It was tough to see Jameer go,” Malone says. “The players trusted him. I find value in veteran mentors. In our meetings, of course I brought up all the reasons it made sense to keep him. But you have to think big picture. It wasn’t like I was kicking and screaming. By the end, we were all on board.”
The Nuggets had exploratory discussions with the Cavs about Kyrie Irving prior to them dealing away the point guard, though talks never got that far, per Lowe (same piece). The scribe notes that Murray, Wilson Chandler, and a lightly-protected first-rounder would have intrigued Cleveland, but Murray was never on the table.

Northwest Notes: Wolves D, Nuggets O, Thunder Flight

October 28th, 2017 at 3:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau has a long-standing reputation as a defensive guru but his team has played poorly at that end in the early going this season, as Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders points out. The team ranks last in defensive efficiency and star players Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins have been particularly ineffective, Blancarte continues. Towns admitted to reporters this week he isn’t getting the job done. “I’ve just got to be better all around, everywhere,” Towns said. “I’m not my best right now. I’m not, and it hurts. So I’ve got to go back to the drawing board and find a way to play better.”

In other developments around the Northwest Division:

The Nuggets’ offense is off to a slow start with the team playing bigger lineups more often, Gina Mizell of The Denver Post notes. Coach Michael Malone is surprised by the team’s struggles, as he told Mizell and other media members. “It seems like we’re working so (dang) hard for everything we get in the halfcourt,” Malone said. “And then when we do generate a wide-open shot, we’re not making those and we’re not finishing at the rim the way we need to be.” Early shooting struggles by point guard Jamal Murray and small forward Wilson Chandler have also contributed to the offensive woes, Mizell adds.
The Thunder’s chartered plane to Chicago Friday night was damaged during the flight but the team arrived safely. The nose of the plane suffered damaged and Delta Airlines said it was likely caused by colliding with a bird, according to an Associated Press report. The team was traveling from Minnesota, where it lost to the Timberwolves in the front end of a back-to-end.
The Timberwolves have hired former Rockets player Rafer Alston as a scout, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Alston’s NBA playing career ended in 2010.

Nuggets Pick Up Coach Mike Malone’s Option

June 27th, 2017 at 4:17pm CST by Joshua Fischman

The Nuggets have picked up their option on head coach Mike Malone‘s contract, per Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports (link via Twitter). Dempsey adds that the contract runs through the 2018/19 season.

Malone has served as Denver’s head coach for the past two seasons, going 40-42 this past season after posting a 33-49 record in 2015/16. Malone previously captained the Sacramento Kings, but was fired a mere 24 games into his second season with the club after beginning the campaign 11-13. As an NBA head coach, Malone has yet to witness his team qualify for the postseason.

Northwest Notes: Eighth Seed, Denver’s Defense, Towns

March 10th, 2017 at 11:11pm CST by Milo Taibi

Jazz coach Quin Snyder is receiving contributions from seldom-used players Jeff Withey and Raul Neto, Jody Genessy of Deseret News writes.

“To be honest, we’ve been in these situations a lot, so there are different guys each night,” Snyder said. “When you have the right spirit, the game rewards you and that’s what happened with those two guys tonight. It’s easy to say, ‘Stay ready,’ and we say that stuff as coaches, but it’s hard to do. For those guys to literally be ready and contribute like they did, it was pretty good.”

The Jazz have won seven of their last 10, enjoying a successful 2016/17 campaign despite occasional injuries to George Hill, Derrick Favors, and Gordon Hayward.

“It’s tough because you never know when your name will be called, so you have to be ready,” Withey said. “On days off, I’m always in the gym running, trying to stay in shape, get shots up and stuff. It’s tough mentally also. It’s part of the business. It’s part of the job.”

Kenneth Faried, Danilo Gallinari May Sit Through All-Star Break

February 10th, 2017 at 10:27pm CST by Milo Taibi

Kenneth Faried and Danilo Gallinari have been out with injuries recently, and according to a report from Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post, they may not return until after the All-Star break. The Nuggets have three games – against the Cavaliers, Warriors, and Timberwolves – until the break.

Gallinari has missed Denver’s last five games with a groin injury, while Faried has been sidelined for two Denver’s last three games with a sprained ankle. Gallinari and Faried, whose injuries were categorized as “severe” by Dempsey, didn’t suit up for the Nuggets’ game in New York on Friday.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone praised Gallinari’s efforts in his recovery from injury.

“I give him credit,” Malone said. “We had an optional shooting (practice on Friday) and he went to the gym and was able to do a little bit more than he probably anticipated. But as with Kenneth and his ankle, we’re not going to rush those guys back. We have four more games prior to the break. If we have to use that entire time to get Gallo back for after the break to make a push, then we’ll do that. Whatever is in the best interest of the players.”

Community Shootaround: Denver’s Trade Chips

February 5th, 2017 at 2:44pm CST by Milo Taibi

Despite a 22-28 record, the Nuggets find themselves within striking distance of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Staked to a half-game lead in the eighth seed, Denver has outperformed expectations behind a breakout season from Nikola Jokic.

As Mark Kiszla pointed out in a Denver Post column, the Nuggets have a decision to make: pursue a No. 7 or 8 seed, or sell off their assets by the trade deadline? Wilson Chandler has been critical of his role (or occasional lack thereof) under coach Michael Malone, making him a logical trade candidate.

Malone firmly denied Emmanuel Mudiay‘s availability via trade, but several Nuggets remain viable trade chips; particularly Danilo Gallinari and Jusuf Nurkic. As of late January, Nurkic was rumored to be available in a package deal with veteran forward Kenneth Faried.

We know Nuggets GM Tim Connelly has a history of trade deadline activity; here’s what we want to know as February 23rd approaches…

Who would you like to see the Nuggets shop at the deadline? Would it be worthwhile for Connelly to keep his team intact while pursuing a playoff spot? Which team would be the most logical destination for Chandler?

Let us know in the comments section!

Wilson Chandler, Michael Malone Discuss Trade Rumors

February 3rd, 2017 at 4:07pm CST by Milo Taibi

Wilson Chandler and Nuggets head coach Michael Malone addressed recent trade rumors, offering different takes on Chandler’s status in Denver.

“I laugh at that report, because Wilson Chandler is having a career year. So if a guy is not happy with his role when he’s having a career year, that doesn’t add up to me,” Malone said, per ESPN. “Obviously, there’s a lot of noise. Not just Wilson — different things this time of year for all NBA teams. The trade deadline is right around the corner. I think agents are behind a lot of that stuff, but Wilson has never said anything close to that.”

Chandler was hardly dismissive of trade rumors when speaking with Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post, however.

“I would definitely like to be in something more consistent. I wouldn’t say unhappy. It’s a tough situation. Our job is to play through rumors, and through whatever the situation is that may be tough. So I’m just focused on the task at hand, and whatever happens, happens,” Chandler said. “It’s not necessarily about starting. It’s just about being more consistent. If it’s 20 minutes, it’s 20 minutes and that’s cool. If it’s 35 minutes, if it’s 30 minutes; if it’s six shots, it’s 12 shots. If it’s this group, it’s that group.”

If these quotes are of any indication, Chandler and Malone appear to have conflicting views of the 29-year-old’s role on the Nuggets. While Chandler didn’t rule out staying in Denver, a report from Sam Amick of USA Today indicated his frustration without a defined role on the team.

While Malone issued a firm dismissal to rumors surrounding Emmanuel Mudiay (“Emmanuel’s a big part of our future”) he was unable to offer the same assurance to Chandler.