Recently, it seems that almost everyone associated with the Nuggets is facing criticism—except Nikola Jokic. You’d expect that winning the franchise’s first NBA championship would provide some breathing room, but it appears to have done the opposite.
Since the victory, the pressure to win again has intensified, and scrutiny of players, coaches, and management has increased. Jamal Murray has been heavily criticized, but Calvin Booth, the ownership group, and the supporting cast are also in the spotlight. Fans want more, fueled by the team’s evident potential.
However, some criticism has crossed the line, particularly in recent rankings. Sam Quinn from CBS Sports placed Michael Malone at 15th in his 2024-25 coach rankings, labeling him “middle of the road.”
Malone has significantly shaped the Nuggets since his arrival, entrusting the offense to a young Jokic and developing a system that capitalizes on his strengths. The team has consistently exceeded expectations, including a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals in 2020 and a championship in 2023.
Even during off years, the Nuggets managed to stay competitive despite injuries. While it’s true that Jokic deserves a lot of the credit in this players’ league, it’s unreasonable to dismiss Malone as one of the league’s top coaches.
Quinn suggests that evaluating Malone is difficult because of Jokic’s brilliance, claiming he hasn’t fully trusted or developed younger players and that the coaching field is particularly strong right now. While there’s some merit to this, it’s hard to justify some coaches ranked above Malone.
Notable names in the rankings include Mike Brown (#13), Chris Finch (#12), Tom Thibodeau (#10), Ime Udoka (#8), Will Hardy (#7), Steve Kerr (#4), and Nick Nurse (#2). With all due respect, these rankings seem misplaced.
Brown is a solid coach but has yet to win a playoff series in Sacramento. Finch had a strong last season but fell short in the conference finals—has he truly matched Malone’s achievements?
Thibodeau is effective in the regular season but is notorious for exhausting his players by playoff time, which raises questions about his trust in young talent. As for Udoka, he led a good Celtics team to the Finals but was then fired and missed the play-in tournament with Houston.
I admire Will Hardy, but he’s only been coaching for two years without reaching the play-in. Kerr has benefitted from a stacked roster; his recent performances haven’t been particularly impressive.
And Nick Nurse at #2? He won a title in 2019 largely due to injuries to key players and has struggled since, with no playoff series victories since the bubble.
This rapid-fire critique raises a question: why is Malone held to a higher standard than these coaches? Many of them are being recognized for past accomplishments or potential rather than recent success. Malone, having recently won a title, seems unfairly penalized for having a superstar like Jokic on his team.
He has transformed a second-round pick and non-All-Stars into a championship squad. While I’m not claiming he’s the best coach or flaw-free, his ranking on this list is outright disrespectful.
