Mike Malone was one of the names on the coaching hot seat lists this season. Not that his seat was warm just yet, a lot of pundits were high on his Nuggets (I predicted them to be fourth in the West), but after just missing the playoffs the past two years, if Denver got off to a slow start this season....
Cross Malone off your list, he just got a contract extension from the Nuggets.
We have agreed to a contract extension with Head Coach Michael Malone. #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/5570ZPM31b
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 17, 2018
Malone on new contract: “I never had any doubt that this would get done. My conversations and relationship with Tim (Connelly) and Josh (Kroenke) throughout the summer have been nothing but positive.” #Nuggets
— Chris Dempsey (@chrisadempsey) October 17, 2018
Malone: “All along, I felt that something would get done at some point. When? I wasn’t sure. But I did have a great feeling because of my relationship and my communication with Tim and Josh and Josh’s family.” #Nuggets
— Chris Dempsey (@chrisadempsey) October 17, 2018
This reportedly adds two years to his existing contract, so it now runs through 2021, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Expectations are high in Denver with a return to the playoffs the only acceptable outcome. The Nuggets have improved each season under Malone and won 46 games last season (that gets you in the dance most years). The Nuggets have a deep and impressive roster led by a top 20 NBA player in Nikola Jokic, a point guard in Jamal Murray who is poised to break out in his third season, plus quality rotation players such as Gary Harris and Paul Millsap.
Malone can earn that new contract — and get the team into the postseason — just by finally improving the Denver defense, which was 26th in the NBA last season. If they move up to the middle of the pack, with the Nuggets’ elite offense, they are in.
Whatever happens, Denver is a team to watch this season. And Malone isn’t going anywhere.