The Denver Nuggets are off to a hot start this year as the defending champions. Much of that success can be attributed to their head coach, Michael Malone. Malone has done a great job making sure his team doesn’t suffer from a championship hangover at the beginning of the season. Denver is 8-2 and their latest loss against the Houston Rockets had some questionable officiating to say the least. Regardless, Michael Malone’s efforts over the years have now been rewarded by the organization. Per Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nuggets and Malone have now agreed on a very lucrative contract extension. One which will make him one of the highest paid head coaches in the league.
Michael Malone and Denver Nuggets Agree on Contract Extension Which Will Make Him Among Highest Paid Head Coaches in the NBA
Michael Malone’s Tenure With the Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have improved record-wise every year under Michael Malone. Not to mention, he helped orchestrate their first title run last season. He first came into the Denver organization during the 2015-16 campaign. Malone is currently the fourth-highest tenured coach in the NBA. He has led the team to five straight playoff appearances while compiling 375-272 win-loss record as the head coach during his tenure. Malone is also well respected around the league. He has earned the respect of elite peers such as San Antonio Spurs head coach, Greg Popovich, Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, and even other NBA star players.
The former Sacramento Kings head coach has also done a great job cultivating talents such as Michael Porter, Jamal Murray, and of course, Nikola Jokic, into team players who are championship caliber pieces that would fit on any NBA squad. On top of this, he has helped turn Denver’s defense around, an aspect that used to always be an Achilles heel for the organization in the past.
They were the best defensive unit in the postseason last year and currently rank sixth in team defensive rating at 108.2. As if that was not impressive enough, the Denver Nuggets also rank fifth in blocks per game at 6.2 per game, 12th in defensive rebounding percentage at 72.2 percent, and sixth in team defensive rebounding per game at 34.8 per game. It is clear why the Nuggets are willing to make Michael Malone one of the highest paid head coaches in the entire NBA.
Can the Denver Nuggets Repeat?
The Denver Nuggets currently possess the best record in the league. Nikola Jokic is already having an MVP-like start to the new campaign. The team as a whole is also showing elite team chemistry. Even with Jamal Murray recovering from a hamstring strain, the team has come together with bench players stepping up in different roles.
Players such as Reggie Jackson and Christian Braun have came together in a big way. The core starters such as Michael Porter, Aaron Gordon, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have been instrumental defensively. With the continuity that Michael Malone has established in Denver’s culture, the Nuggets extending the All-Star head coach was a no-brainer for the organization.
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