PHOENIX – Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn’t mince phrases earlier than Tuesday’s recreation in Phoenix when requested for his response to the Nuggets’ sudden firing of longtime head coach Mike Malone.
Malone turned the second coach of a Western Convention workforce sure for the playoffs, the opposite being Memphis’ former coach Taylor Jenkins, to be fired within the final two weeks.
“Shocked, like everyone,” Kerr stated. “Mike has obviously been a great, great coach. Champion, fantastic record. Like with Taylor, you don’t expect anything like this, this late in the season.”
Malone was an assistant on Mark Jackson’s Warriors workers from 2011-13.
The Nuggets employed Malone in 2015, and he coached Denver to the 2023 NBA championship, the primary in franchise historical past.
Denver entered Tuesday 47-32 and seeded fourth, however they lower ties with each Malone and basic supervisor Calvin Sales space with the workforce mired in a four-game shedding streak. A type of losses got here to Golden State on Friday, a recreation the place Steph Curry dropped 36 factors.
“Organizations have to do their own business, and we aren’t privy to any of that, so I have no idea what was happening so I can’t comment on anything other than wishing Mike well,” Kerr stated. “He’s done an amazing job and it doesn’t seem right, but this is the business we’re in. We’re all going to suffer a similar fate at some point.”
Since Kerr took the Warriors job in 2014, six coaches have gained NBA titles. 4 of them have been fired, with Kerr and final yr’s champion Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics being the one survivors.
Amongst that group is Mike Budenholzer, the present Suns coach who led the Bucks to the title in 2021 however was fired in 2023.
“Shocking … this league is tough to win a championship in,” Budenholzer stated earlier than the sport. “To have all the success he’s had, to build the program that he’s built, the individual success for their players and the organizational success, he’s just a great coach. The proof is in everything he’s done.”
Why are so many profitable coaches being let go? Kerr, whose workforce is 46-32 and seeded sixth within the playoff race, had one speculation.
“There’s so much money in the business now, and there’s pluses and minuses to that,” Kerr stated. “We’re all making bigger salaries than we were five years ago, but we’re all much more vulnerable because I don’t think a lot of owners are that concerned with firing a guy and paying him off to go away.”
Kevin Durant out vs. outdated workforce
Former Warriors celebrity Kevin Durant was dominated out of Tuesday’s matchup along with his former teammates. Durant has been nursing a proper ankle harm for the final three video games.
“He got some shots up, moved a tiny bit,” Budenholzer stated. “Making progress, but nothing more than shooting right now.”
The person who gained back-to-back Finals MVPs within the Bay Space is averaging 26.6 factors per recreation with the Suns this season. Phoenix (35-43) entered Tuesday night time 2.5 video games again of the Dallas Mavericks for the ultimate play-in spot.
Gary Payton II dominated out
The defensive guard was dominated out with proper knee irritation towards Phoenix. Payton II has additionally been nursing an injured thumb.
“He had a little swelling in his knee after the flight, so yeah, he’s out tonight, and hopefully nothing long term,” Kerr stated.
Initially Printed: April 8, 2025 at 6:40 PM PDT
