Michael Malone, 53, walks away as the Nuggets’ all-time wins leader with a 471-327 record (.590) over a decade. That run included Denver’s first-ever NBA title in 2023. But just days before the regular season wraps up, both Malone and GM Calvin Booth are out—marking a massive shake-up no one saw coming.

Now, let’s talk about why.

Sure, former GM Tim Connelly—now with the Timberwolves—built most of that 2023 championship squad. But Booth still made some clutch calls once he stepped in. Signing Bruce Brown and trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2022? Huge wins. In the 2023 playoffs, they ranked right behind Jokic and Murray in impact.

But both those guys are gone now. And if you lay out the moves Booth made since then? It’s a rough list. Denver’s depth thinned out fast, and their defense collapsed. So despite the big picture looking decent on paper, the cracks were showing—and ownership didn’t wait around.

When you’re $66.8 million over the cap despite being 13th in total spending, that says a lot about how top-heavy your payroll is. Denver’s hands are pretty much tied when it comes to adding new pieces unless they’re willing to dip deep into the luxury tax. So, doubling down on Aaron Gordon and retaining young talent was more of a necessity than a luxury.

But the real kicker here is the reported friction between the head coach and the GM. When Chris Broussard calls a situation “toxic,” there’s usually fire behind that smoke. If the front office and coaching staff aren’t aligned, especially with limited room to maneuver financially, it can derail even the most talented rosters.

Which brings us to Dallas.

Because if Booth and Malone are out after winning a title just two years back, how are Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd still standing in Dallas? This front office traded away the guy who got them to the Finals—Luka Doncic—for an aging, injury-prone Anthony Davis. That’s not just risky, it’s historic-level malpractice. And now the Mavs are clinging to 10th in the West.

So when Denver pulled the plug on Malone and Booth, despite their banner year in 2023, NBA X (formerly Twitter) lit up. But not just about the Nuggets. Nope—fans immediately turned their sights on Dallas. As the Lakers travel to Dallas, the first time Luka will not be wearing the Mavs jersey while in Dallas. If those guys got the boot, what exactly are Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd still doing on the Mavericks’ payroll?

Fans believe the Mavs should follow suit, after the Nuggets fired Michael Malone and Calvin Booth

One fan wrote, “Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd should be next.”. That take might sound harsh—until you actually look at the facts. Doncic was 26, in his prime, fresh off dragging Dallas to the Finals with nearly 29-9-8 across 22 playoff games. He was the engine, the identity, the reason the Mavericks even had a shot.

The Nuggets fired Malone, their most successful coach ever, and Calvin Booth, the GM who helped put the finishing touches on a championship roster. They didn’t hesitate—one bad season and questionable decisions stacked up, and the front office didn’t want to risk mediocrity creeping in.

Another netizen chimed in with  “only 1 GM has been fired this season and it wasn’t Nico Harrison “. That line cuts deep, especially when you consider what just happened in Denver. Calvin Booth helped the Nuggets win a championship last to last season—and he still got the boot after one rough year. Meanwhile, Harrison trades away a 26-year-old Luka Doncic, fresh off leading the league in scoring and dragging Dallas to the Finals… and somehow keeps his job?

“Michael Malone got fired before Nico Harrison” wrote another fan along with a gif of a man crying. Think about it—Malone won Denver their first championship, turned Jokic into a three-time MVP and he’s out. Meanwhile, Harrison is still on the payroll as he wanted to double down on defense and saw AD as the answer. The Mavs are 10th in the West, AD has only played 7 games for Dallas and spent most of his injured.

Another fan tweeted “Jason Kidd’s job security is truly one of a kind”. It isn’t just a dig—it’s starting to feel like a full-blown mystery novel.

Let’s be real: Kidd coached a team that made the Finals last season. But now? Post-Luka trade, the Mavericks are clinging to the 10th seed like it’s a life raft. The offense looks disjointed, the defense isn’t elite despite Harrison’s “defense wins championships” mantra, and the chemistry is… somewhere in Cancun.

Yet somehow, despite this collapse, Kidd remains untouched.

“We live in a universe where Jenkins and now Malone coach their teams into the playoffs and get canned before the end of the season while Jason Kidd has oodles of job security while hobbling into the play-in.” summed up another fan.

That fan’s got a point—and it hits even harder when you line everything up.

Taylor Jenkins guided a Memphis squad, absolutely ravaged by injuries this season. No Ja Morant for most of the year, key absences across the board, and still—he had them competing. Meanwhile, Michael Malone? He coached the Nuggets to a 47-25 record before things started slipping. Let’s not forget he’s the guy who brought Denver its first-ever NBA championship just two years ago.

Both coaches still got the boot.

So yeah, it’s wild. Jenkins and Malone overachieve or maintain a high standard and get fired. Kidd underperforms with a gutted roster and… nothing. Not even a whisper.