20 months after his most recent multiyear contract extension, the NBA champion Denver Nuggets have officially agreed a lucrative deal with title-winning head coach Mike Malone that will place him among the league’s highest-paid bosses per reports in ESPN and The Athletic which broke today.
NBA champion Malone rewarded with new deal
- Malone led Denver, Finals MVP Nikola Jokic to their first championship title in franchise history after 47-year wait five months ago
- 52-year-old has been at the helm for nine seasons and counting, guiding them to a 375-272 (57.9% win) record. They’ve begun the season with a 8-2 record and sit top of the Western Conference at the time of writing
- Spurs’ legendary HC Gregg Popovich is the league’s highest-paid coach at $16m-a-year, per Yahoo Sports – while Monty Williams (Detroit), Steve Kerr (Golden State) and Erik Spoelstra (Miami) trail him
Denver have been tipped to become the league’s next dynasty, winning more titles and contending for years to come, given the foundations they’ve patiently but purposefully asserted built during the existing Nikola Jokic – Jamal Murray era.
At the top of that is their head coach in Michael Malone, so the news of his latest contract extension is no surprise at a time where the riches of the NBA head coaching market continues to increase given Monty Williams’ six-year, $78.5m deal in Detroit.
Williams’ deal could reach $100m over eight years with incentives
Gregg Popovich signed a five-year extension worth more than $80m
Erik Spoelstra is under contract through 2024 in Miami
Four-time coaching champion Steve Kerr’s deal expires this season
Malone, who spent 12 seasons as an assistant across four ball clubs (Knicks, Cavaliers, Hornets and Warriors), has been credited as being a big part of the latter’s success since his departure and successfully made a name for himself since.
Having been dismissed early into his second season in charge of the Sacramento Kings during the 2014-15 season, he was named the new Denver head coach six months later and the rest as they say is history.
After three seasons missing the playoffs – two with losing records – they reached the Conference semi-finals in 2018-19 and have only strengthened since, despite Michael Porter Jr’s back injury concerns and Jamal Murray tearing his ACL two seasons later.
There’s always a natural worry that players might get tired of hearing the same voice, with Malone’s extension set to take him beyond the decade-mark in Colorado, though he has fresh and highly-rated faces – one-time Timberwolves HC Ryan Saunders among them – within his staff to avoid that possibility unfolding.
Nuggets’ upcoming games (BST time)
Wednesday: LA Clippers, 3am
Saturday: New Orleans Pelicans (A), 1am
Sunday: Cleveland Cavaliers (A), 11pm
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 