Nikola Jokić completed the statistics sheet with his 32nd triple-double of the season against the Kings of Sacramento on Wednesday evening in the first Denver Nuggets match since the lime of the dismissal Michael Malone.
Addressing journalists after Denver 124-116’s victory against the Kings, Jokić noted that he had sent an SMS to Malone on Tuesday after learning of the coach’s dismissal.
“I sent him a text,” said Jokić. “It was a 10 -year relationship, so it was a heavy day for everyone, probably especially for him and his family. But I would say that it is part of the business.”
As for what the Nuggets told their superstar player to leave Malone, Jokić had a discussion with the president of the team Josh Kroenke but kept the details of this private meeting.
“I knew a little before everyone else,” said Jokić. “And he said to me:” We made a decision. “It was therefore not a discussion.
Jokić continued to make a comparison according to what he learned from his country of origin in Serbia on what is happening when the boss wants to do something different:
“I mean, when someone wants to do (a personnel change) or change your energy, that’s probably what they do. In my country, if someone is fired, (the) word is probably, you are the next one (one to go). … I mean if you want to change something, that’s how (he) does, and the owner wanted to do it.”
The Nuggets shocked everyone on Tuesday when they shot Malone with three remaining games in the regular season. They also announced that the director general Calvin Booth will not return next season, because his contract is not renewed.
Malone was the only Jokić head coach played for the NBA. He was hired by Denver in June 2015, almost at the same time, Jokić officially joined the Nuggets after being drafted in 2014.
Their partnership was an incredible success for the organization. The Nuggets have made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons, winning the NBA final during the 2022-23 season.
It was well documented that Malone and Booth did not go to the eyes, so the organization to choose one on the other would have made sense. Instead, the Nuggets decided to clean the house at the end of the regular season with a list that is still in a position to compete for a championship.
Wednesday’s victory passed the Nuggets in fourth place in the classification of the Western Conference and a match behind Los Angeles Lakers for the seeded n ° 3.
Jokić looked very well on the field playing for acting coach David Adelman. He collected 20 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and four interceptions in 38 minutes against the Kings.
