Another day in the NBA, another head coach with a championship ring sent packing like yesterday’s game plan. And Warriors coach Steve Kerr? Yeah, he’s watching all this unfold like he’s on the Titanic and just spotted an iceberg labeled “Ownership Decisions.”
On April 8, 2025, the Denver Nuggets decided to go full soap opera and fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth just three games before the playoffs. You know, totally normal stuff. The guy only led them to their first-ever NBA title in 2023, has the most wins in franchise history—471 regular season and 510 postseason wins, to be exact, and was basically the Nikola Jokic Whisperer. But apparently, four straight losses are all it takes now to go from “franchise legend” to “update your LinkedIn.”
BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets have fired coach Michael Malone, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/bZoKRx6kgt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 8, 2025
So naturally, Steve Kerr—who’s been around long enough to know when something smells funny—couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow… or both. Speaking before a game against the Suns, he looked like a man who just realized his own coaching contract comes with an invisible eject button. “Shocked, like everyone,” Kerr admitted. “Mike’s been a great, great coach… Doesn’t seem right, but this is the business we’re in. We’re all gonna suffer a similar fate at some point.”
Kerr, who signed a shiny two-year extension in 2024, is locked in with the Warriors until 2026. But based on his vibe, he knows that NBA coaching job security is about as reliable as Ben Simmons’ three-point shooting. “Most teams are now owned by billionaires, big corporations,” Kerr said. “We’re all more expendable… Not the most stable profession, that’s for sure.”
Can someone please hand this man a job security blanket and a tub of ice cream?
“We All Get Hired to Get Fired” – Joe Mazzulla, a man living in existential coaching crisis post Malone
Over in Boston, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla took the news of Malone’s firing not as a warning—but as a full-blown prophecy. “You have to have that type of perspective because it gives you gratitude,” Mazzulla said. “And it also keeps you hungry… I remind myself of my own mortality.”
That quote from Mazzulla is wild in the most poetic way. Man’s out here dropping existential bars like he’s coaching with a scythe hovering over his clipboard. A 58-20 record should feel like solid ground—but in today’s NBA, even that doesn’t buy you peace of mind.
It says a lot about how volatile the coaching game has become. One minute you’re a tactical genius, the next you’re packing up your office because the vibes were off. Mazzulla calling Malone’s firing a “reminder of mortality” is such a perfect blend of fear and motivation—it’s like he’s trying to stay two steps ahead of the guillotine while chasing Banner 19.
To be fair, Joe’s not wrong. Michael Malone’s now part of a sad club: NBA champion coaches who got booted. Tyronn Lue, Mike Budenholzer, Nick Nurse… all gone. The only ones still standing? Spoelstra, Kerr, and Mazzulla himself. And even they are glancing at the door like, “Did it just creak open?” “You do the best you can for as long as you can,” Mazzulla added. “And then there’s always a bunch of circumstances that you’re not aware of.”
Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
A true coaching haiku. Beautiful. Tragic. Stress-inducing.
Let’s not forget the Nuggets were in 4th place in the West when they yeeted their coach and GM. This isn’t the 14th seed spiraling out of control—this is playoff-bound basketball. But apparently, a little cold streak and some disagreements over whether to play the rookies or the veterans was enough for Denver’s front office to say, “New phone, who dis?”
Even Pelicans guard CJ McCollum had to hop on Twitter and say, “This league out of pocket, man.” Yes, CJ, yes it is. If you’re Steve Kerr, you’re probably thinking two things right now: “Thank God for Steph Curry.”, “Do I start packing early just in case?”
And if you’re Joe Mazzulla, you’re waking up each morning whispering, “This could be my last day,” while staring into your espresso like it holds the meaning of life.
The NBA has officially entered its Game of Thrones era. Trust no one, even if you have a championship banner. One day, you’re hoisting the Larry O’Brien. The next, you’re Googling “assistant coaching gigs in Italy.”
So, here’s to Steve, Joe, and every other coach hanging onto their clipboard for dear life. May your rotations be tight, your owners be patient, and your job titles remain unchanged—for at least one more week.
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