Widespread panic among Nuggets fans, laughter among Lakers fans, and an unnecessary outpouring of random Russell Westbrook hate flooded all of our feeds when the news broke - "Denver Nuggets fire head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth."
Pointless debates on popular sports talk shows with nothing more than speculation and hosts acting like they know anything about the Nuggets made me want to shut it all down with a giant power switch like people would see in old cartoons.
There was a lot of noise and, even worse, the noise was loud.
"The Lakers are now the favorites to land Nikola Jokic."
"This organization is a disaster."
"Westbrook is the problem in the locker room."
The repetitive troll-bait from content creators and podcasts alike was also unavoidable.
So let's sit back, Nuggets fans, take a deep breath, vent some frustrations, and view this as it should be - an opportunity.
Michael Malone - Still the best in Nuggets history
Despite my criticisms of Malone in the early years of his coaching career with the Nuggets, he objectively turned things around for an organization that was nothing more than a possible playoff team out of the West that was given zero credibility by media talking heads.
In his first two years, the Nuggets went 33-49 (2015-2016) then 40-42 the following year. Since then, the Nuggets never finished a season with less than 46 wins with Malone as their head coach, putting up an astounding 398-236 record after his first two years.
Under his 10-year reign as coach, the Nuggets finished first in the West three times, second place three times, and possibly third this year, depending on how the remaining games go for this season.
The only times he didn't lead the Nuggets to the playoffs were his first three years, the third of which they went 46-36 - they were title contenders the following seven years that followed.
To be the most successful coach in Denver Nuggets history is a tall feat when it involves the likes of George Karl, Doug Moe, and Larry Brown. And Malone undoubtedly deserves the respect he has earned.
For once, I agree with what Shaq said.
Malone was the coach who started to favour Jokic over former center Jusuf Nurkic - who found himself on a Suns team this season that was begging for someone to take him in a trade.
So, was the move to kick Malone out the door the right call? Yes and no.
By now, if you watch the Nuggets, you'd know that the main criticism of Malone's coaching is undoubtedly his rotations and how he misuses bench players. Playing Westbrook and Jalen Pickett at the same time was a big one this season.
But one can never deny his love for the game.
It's no secret to anyone that Malone isn't afraid to turn red in the face when he sees nonsense, for lack of a better word, happening around his team - whether it be media or his own players.
"If that's how we're going to play, we'll be out in the first round," said Malone after a 21-point loss to the Houston Rockets in 2023. "I just called our team 'soft,' and I dared someone to challenge me. No one did, because we as a group were soft tonight."
One could make a compilation from this season of Malone's constant yelling to get his players back on defense just for them to all stare at another three-ball like a bunch of deer in headlights
So did the team run Malone out of town or was it Malone himself?
There was, is, and always will be a grey area with NBA coaches and their players in terms of who's to blame when they win or lose. The egos are ridiculous.
But does Malone deserve the blame for how the Nuggets have played recently, to the point that someone in NBA media who never watches the team says, "Him being fired makes complete sense"? No, absolutely not.
They were on a four-game losing streak, three of which to playoff teams in the Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, and Minnesota Timberwolves. Let's stop acting like the Nuggets were battling it out with the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards for the worst record in the league.
Mostly, Nuggets fans loved and backed Malone, even if the team lost and frustrations were voiced - you know, like every team's fans do.
I think fans could understand the move with Malone - just not now. Not when the team is entering the playoffs and looking to make a championship run against a very up-for-grabs Western Conference.
There's a time and place for everything. Firing Malone right now, especially after all he's done for the Nuggets and the city of Denver, was a cowardly move by the Kroenke family and one they should be ashamed of.
It makes it even worse that some of the first words out of Josh Kroenke's mouth were "Play hard and have fun", as if this was some local recreational team of seven and eight-year-olds.
Booth - A goodbye with no looking back
Let's cut straight to the chase with this one - Booth should've been gone a while ago.
Booth parades his ring as if it wasn't the former general manager Tim Connelly's main squad (Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon) that Malone coached on their way to the first championship in franchise history.
It's no hidden story that Malone and Booth butted heads over the years - way more than a Nuggets fan would like to admit.
But Malone can't coach a championship team if Booth never provides one.
I won't even credit Booth for bringing in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope because it was Malone who brought out the best of him and knew how to use him properly. KCP posted back-to-back 114 defensive rating years with the Nuggets, only short of his year with the Wizards, where it was 115.
Since then? Nothing but constant disappointment cake covered by some sweet "playoff contender" icing, but it expired years ago.
Despite bringing in Bruce Brown, who was a major piece in the championship run, he eventually let him walk (understandable for salary cap reasons) but never brought him back despite trade block "interests" the past couple of years.
He refused to splurge on any star free agents or make a splash in the trade markets.
And before anyone says, "But he traded for Gordon," let's not forget that former general manager Tim Connelly already talked to Malone, Jokic, Murray, and MPJ all about trading for Gordon as the Team President while Booth was the GM.
So again, no, I don't give Booth credit for it.
It's not sugarcoating when social media randoms say that they're wasting Jokic's prime - it's honestly not far from the truth - and Booth is to blame for that.
Jokic is currently having the single greatest season by a player in NBA history and the Nuggets are a few losses away going from what was once the second seed before the trade deadline to possibly the seventh seed to finish the season - that's inexcusable and downright pathetic.
Even more so when you realize the Nuggets don't have a single draft pick after this season is done.
Booth has failed time and time again to provide Jokic, and even Malone as a coach, with the proper support system - yes, the proper support system. Kobe Bryant needed Shaquille O'Neal. Lebron James needed Kyrie Irving. Stephen Curry needed Kevin Durant. The list goes on and on.
Even in other sports, Tom Brady needed Rob Gronkowski. Alexander Ovechkin needed Nicklas Backstrom. Every last championship team had a star surrounded by another one or more (2024 Los Angeles Dodgers).
But Booth? Nope. Never gave Jokic a single one.
Well, what about Murray? He was drafted by Connelly and he remained a Nugget strictly because of Malone promising him that he isn't going anywhere.
But Booth brought in Westbrook and they have a winning record when he starts, right? Correct. Westbrook couldn't have made a better pairing for Jokic.
However, Westbrook came to the Nuggets strictly on Jokic's wishes - this is public knowledge now. Not because Booth is a fantastic general manager and knew Brodie would benefit from being here.
If anything, it's more of a positive to Malone, again, for having a system where a Westbrook, near the end of his career, found his second wind.
So there's nothing we, as fans, can say that Booth did anything relevant to make this team better outside of drafting Christian Braun - who is having a career year.
But would Braun be the same player under any other coach, or team, in the league? I don't think so.
Booth being fired had Nuggets fans on social media saying "Malone news sucks, but at least Booth is gone."
Only a Nuggets fan can understand just how much relief it has to be to see Booth fired in the wake of Malone being sent out the door, too.
It was the remedy.
Adelman - The New Hope
What should be the focus of all this is how stand-in head coach David Adelman will handle everything.
He just witnessed a close friend he's worked with almost the past 10 years get fired out of nowhere, handed the reigns to a Nuggets team with the best player on planet Earth at the helm, and a team that has now received more media attention than ever before - which is a rant for another day.
Adelman, beloved by both the players and fans, could be a hope for them if the Kroenke family will simply give him the chance.
He should be the head coach, not just for the time being, but moving forward. No outside candidate knows this team and its players better than Adelman does, so why go for anyone else?
For context, the video below shows Adelman being showered by the players after earning his first win as a head coach - back in 2023 after Malone missed the game for health and safety protocol reasons.
There is no greater pressure on any other head coach in the NBA right now than Adelman.
He could possibly flip this entire negative media campaign into something gigantic if he takes the Nuggets deep into the playoffs.
And now, coming off of an emphatic win against the Sacramento Kings, Adelman is taking everything in stride and deserves way more credit - but that's not a juicy headline to sports networks.
The Wrap-up
To wrap it all up, I don't think Malone should've been fired, especially at the time that he was. But if it were inevitable, show the same respect he's shown the organization and do it in the offseason.
Coach will always be remembered by Nuggets fans as the one who led this team to greatness. All of us will remember where we were when the confetti finally fell on the team as champions, and credit has to be given to Malone for that.
Let's give Adelman the chance he deserves at a career-altering time in his life.
And stop the unnecessary Westbrook hate when he's brought so much success to this team, a player even Jokic defends.
Ask yourself, as a fan, what would you say if Jokic said to your face that he thinks Westbrook has been a great addition to the team?
Are you going to tell the league's basketball mastermind that he's wrong? No, you're not. So enough of the "Westbrick" nonsense, people. The team has a winning record with him as a starter.
As for Booth - sayonara.