Michael Malone’s departure from the Denver Nuggets stirred controversy because it occurred before the NBA playoffs. Several days after his dismissal, Malone broke the ice, and he sent a message publicly for the first time since his exit.

In the past few months, the NBA has seen perhaps the most shocking trade (Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers) in league history, the record-breaking sale of one of its most recognizable franchises (the Boston Celtics) and two respected coaches (Taylor Jenkins and Michael Malone) fired with less than 10 games left in the regular season.

Top Nuggets candidates to replace Malone, including David Adelman. However, if you follow the career paths of recent NBA coaches to win titles, perhaps Malone's ouster