Overview

• Josh Kroenke, Nuggets vice chairman, apologized for firing head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth, admitting neither deserved the abrupt dismissal.
• Kroenke revealed the decision stemmed from months of internal discord and a toxic working environment between Malone and Booth, which he struggled to address earlier in the season.
• Despite an eight-game winning streak before the All-Star break, Kroenke said underlying cultural issues and a flat locker room led to the final decision during a four-game losing streak.
• Interim appointments have been made with David Adelman as head coach and Ben Tenzer as GM, as the team prepares for a playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
• Kroenke refuted rumors of external pressures influencing the decision, clarifying that trade constraints involving players like Michael Porter Jr. and Russell Westbrook were unfounded.