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As they are navigating through a challenging season already, Michael Malone is wary of added distractions in the Lakers due to Redick's public comments. "Every coach does it differently, but I’m a firm believer in having a lot of those conversations one-on-one in the locker room, in front of your team, you call guys out," the former Denver Nuggets head coach said on ESPN's NBA Countdown. "I know for myself, going into every season, you want to eliminate as many distractions as possible. "Winning is hard in the NBA. When you have JJ calling out his players, LeBron talking about not having the ball enough, Deandre Ayton talking about not having the ball enough, there’s a lot of noise around this team right now."
On paper, Redick and the Lakers might be a title heavyweight. But the group definitely has tons of issues, particularly on the defensive end wherein they rank 24th league-wide (117.2). "It’s hard to have an identity when you don’t guard, you’re great in the clutch, but a lot of those clutch wins have been against teams below .500%. Every night, you’re not sure which Laker team you’re going to get," Malone said. "I saw a picture of JJ Redick, I feel for him. He’s got that thousand-mile stare."
ESPN is rolling out a fresh look for NBA Countdown, adding new voices and upgraded technology as the network prepares for its next slate of marquee game nights. The revamped studio team will debut Wednesday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App. Senior writer Brian Windhorst joins the program after signing a multi-year extension with the network. His addition strengthens a panel that will now feature 2023 NBA champion head coach Michael Malone and 2008 NBA champion Kendrick Perkins as analysts.
NBA on ESPN: "I'm definitely not done coaching." Former Nuggets HC Michael Malone sets the record straight on Inside the NBA 😤🔥
Among the many points of contention between former coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, according to league sources, was where certain young players spent their time training in the offseason: in Denver with Malone’s player development staff, or elsewhere with a shooting coach hired by Booth.
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The display of unity represented an important element of Denver’s offseason reset -- an increased emphasis from team management on camaraderie in the aftermath of a house-divided work environment that characterized last season. Among the many points of contention between former coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, according to league sources, was where certain young players spent their time training in the offseason: in Denver with Malone’s player development staff, or elsewhere with a shooting coach hired by Booth.
Kendrick Perkins: How would you manage that situation if you were Steve Kerr in that locker room with Jonathan Kuminga? Michael Malone: Well, yeah, I think it's such a great point, Perk. And it comes down to communication. Steve's come out and said it. That communication is key. Him and Kuminga have a relationship, but they got to sit down in the room. And right now, it's a battle between Steve Curry saying, "This is what we want." And then Kuminga saying, "Well, this is what I want" and that they have to find a way to marry that and merge that because you look at what Jonathan Kuminga did in games 2, three, four, and five in that second series against Minnesota. Steph Curry got hurt. Kuminga became a focal point and showed out.
How did you meet the moment last season with both thriving in a bigger role and navigating external issues with team injuries and the dynamic between your former coach (Malone) and GM (Booth)? Braun: “I’m always grateful for the people who put me in those spots. I understand that Calvin Booth paved my way. He drafted me and paved my way to get that opportunity. So I’m grateful for him. Coach Malone threw me in the Finals as a rookie and played me a ton of minutes my whole career. So I’m grateful for those people for putting me in those spots. I’m grateful for what Nikola has done for me, what Jamal has done for me and what Aaron has done for me up until this point.
Former Nuggets coach Michael Malone has agreed to a deal with ESPN but he still has coaching aspirations after a bitter ending in Denver. Malone has said if he were to coach again he would prefer a harmonious front office, which wasn’t the case in Denver. He often clashed with general manager Calvin Booth about personnel decisions and both were fired by governor Josh Kronke in the final week of the regular season, less than two years after the Nuggets won a championship. Malone will be the first name mentioned for potential openings over the next few months with former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau as another strong candidate.
Michael Porter Jr: Mike Malone—me and him had a love-hate relationship. And if someone asked him on a podcast, he’d say the same thing. In my early years, we got into it a couple times. He was really hard on me and made me earn my place on that team. He was like a real old-school coach. Not a players' coach who's trying to be cool with everyone— He was going to be hard on you. I think the NBA started trending toward players' coaches— Guys like Chauncey Billups, Steve Nash. And players started noticing how different those relationships were. So I don’t really know what specifically got him fired. I just know I respect him for giving me an opportunity.
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Michael Porter Jr: There was turmoil. I’m not going to lie—there was turmoil in the team leading up to it. The energy wasn’t really right day-to-day. We weren’t excited to go into the gym. We weren’t excited to go into practice. Host: Was that a coaching thing? Or more of a whole culture-type thing? Michael Porter Jr: I think we just needed some new energy. That’s probably why they went in some different directions—even in the offseason with a couple of players. Well... really, it might’ve just been me.
Former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone found a home quickly following his surprising firing in the regular season. Malone joined ESPN for the playoffs, providing analysis on the biggest NBA games the rest of the season. After not being hired for another head-coaching job over the offseason, Malone will run it back with ESPN during the 2025-26 NBA season. Malone will join "NBA Countdown" this year, ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro said at Front Office Sports' Tuned In Summit, per Awful Announcing.
Jake Fischer: There's a ton of skepticism around the league that Michael Malone—with a similar personality and coaching style to Tom Thibodeau—is going to ultimately be the man on New York's sideline at the end of the day. I'd say there's also plenty of skepticism that Mike Budenholzer would be that man as well. So I think we're going to hear names that are potentially lower down on the totem pole in terms of proven veteran playoff success. I think we're going to be hearing names like Mike Brown, the former head coach in Sacramento—his name's already been linked to the job. Taylor Jenkins, the former Grizzlies head coach, might be the most respected coach available on the market right now. There are a ton of questions about whether or not New York will go back to their own well and try to bring Cavs assistant Johnny Bryant back to Madison Square Garden. That's not something I've been able to confirm yet, but it's definitely something people are wondering about, as he was a finalist for the head coaching job in Phoenix and, of course, was part of the Eastern Conference–leading Cleveland Cavaliers coaching staff this season.
There’s a clear favorite to take over the Knicks’ head coaching job. After the franchise fired Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, Michael Malone is the early front-runner to take over the position, according to oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook. Malone, who was fired by the Nuggets with a week to go in the regular season after a decade as Denver’s head coach, is an early +125 favorite to be on the Knicks’ sideline come the fall.