The Denver Nuggets’ shocking late-season firings of general manager Calvin Booth and head coach Michael Malone this week were reminders that the team is looking to maximize their window with superstar Nikola Jokic.
With a three-time MVP in Jokic, the Nuggets are legitimate championship contenders. They capitalized by winning the franchise’s first championship in 2023, but Denver is not just satisfied winning one title while Jokic is on the team.
Though Booth and Malone were behind the team winning that first title less than two years ago, as the Nuggets’ defense regressed and the team began losing more frequently this season, including a four-game losing streak last week, owner Stan Kroenke did not hesitate to make a change that he hoped would spark a boost from the team. Between the Nuggets’ recent woes and the tense relationship between Booth and Malone seeping into the rest of the franchise, Kroenke was swift to fire Booth and Malone, even with just three games left in the regular season.
The Nuggets feel the pressure to win, but surprisingly, Jokic does not. Instead, Jokic is appreciative of what he has accomplished.
“I think people in general, they always want more and more and more, but they don’t know what they have,” Jokic told ESPN. “I’m really happy we have one title—a lot of very good players don’t win.”
This isn’t to say that Jokic doesn’t wasn’t to win more titles and isn’t pursuing more rings. Jokic is once again playing at an MVP level this year, averaging a triple-double over the entire season. Few give more to their team each game than Jokic, who has achieved incredible success and won a title despite never playing with an All-Star teammate. Though it almost feels off-putting to hear a player not immediately craving a championship or another title, Jokic simply isn’t getting swept up in the chase for more and recognizes what he has accomplished.
