Subscribe
Follow Us
The Denver Nuggets’ decision to fire Mike Malone caught everyone off guard. Carmelo Anthony, a former Nuggets star, was in the middle of recording an episode of his 7 PM In Brooklyn podcast when he got the news. Positioned perfectly to dissect the firing, Melo quickly began breaking down its implications.
“This had to be a lot of build-up, or some players inside the locker room weren’t feeling Mike Malone,” Melo suggested. He added that he’s witnessed coaches walk out or get fired before, so this isn’t exactly unprecedented.
But with Malone joining former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown in sudden firings before the season's end, Anthony and others delved into what could be behind this pattern. Melo feels confident in his understanding: It's all about money.
Carmelo Anthony's take on the recent coaching firings
“Why the f—k are you paying these coaches that much money and are willing to just say go and we’ll pay y’all. No, If I’m paying you for four years, you’re staying four years, I don’t give a f—k what the record is. I’m not wasting $75 million on a coach like that. To coach two years, and get rid of them, and now I got to pay you. No, you’re going to coach whether we’re great or whether we’re a–. You’re going to coach until your contract is over with. I don’t give a f—k what no fans say, no media, you’re going to coach your contract out,” said Anthony in his podcast.
The 10-time All-Star has a proposal for how to redirect some of that big money toward coaches. His solution would also make owners less inclined to make rash decisions when things aren’t going smoothly.
“That’s why I say the coaches salary should be part of the overall salary cap because if you add that to the overall salary cap, these teams would be reluctant to let these coaches go like that,” Anthony continued.
Mike Malone's time ending in Denver
Malone had been more than just a coach; he was the mastermind behind Denver’s ascent. When he took over in 2015, he turned a floundering team into NBA champions. Malone's record spoke for itself, his players held him in high regard, and the front office had rewarded him with a substantial contract extension.
However, despite Denver’s strong position in the West, he’s been let go. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke labeled the decision as “carefully evaluated,” insisting it was crucial for securing another championship run.
Anthony didn’t hold back, immediately endorsing Mike Malone for the San Antonio job. “If I’m San Antonio, I’m going to get Mike Malone.”
Teams like the Milwaukee Bucks are currently paying multiple coaches at once. After firing Mike Budenholzer in 2023, the Bucks are still obligated to pay out his contract. They also owe money to Adrian Griffin, whom they dismissed last year, and are paying Doc Rivers as their current head coach. Meanwhile, the Bucks are still covering Budenholzer’s salary while he now coaches the Suns. The Suns themselves are also paying Frank Vogel $24 million after firing him last year.
Carmelo Anthony believes that if teams are financially tied up with these coach contracts, they’ll likely be more patient with their coaches and think twice before making hasty firing decisions, especially when they are already invested in player salaries as well.
