DENVER, Nov. 21, 2023 – The Denver Nuggets and Head Coach Michael Malone have agreed to a multiyear contract extension, KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke and General Manager Calvin Booth announced today. Per team policy, the details of the extension were not released.
“We are thrilled to announce this extension with Coach Malone and to keep him leading the Nuggets for years to come,” said KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke. “To see our team continue to improve year after year, culminating with our ultimate goal of an NBA Championship is exactly what we all envisioned on the day we hired Michael in 2015. This extension is extremely well deserved and there’s no question about the commitment and dedication that Michael has shown to our organization.”
Malone is currently the fourth longest-tenured coach in the NBA and ranks third all-time amongst Nuggets head coaches with 377 wins. He is coming off a season in which he led the Nuggets to their first NBA Championship in franchise history, ending a 47-year drought. They finished the regular season with a 53-29 record as they clinched the number one overall seed in the Western Conference. Denver ended the postseason with a 16-4 record, losing only one home game and never having a series go over six games.
“I’m excited to continue working alongside Coach Malone as we look towards the future with our core intact and a lot of young talent to develop as well,” stated General Manager Calvin Booth. “Michael has proven he is the right coach for our team and there is no doubt he will continue to keep pushing and striving for more after last season’s Championship run.”
Since Malone took over prior to the 2015-16 season, he has overseen four of the top ten seasons in Nuggets NBA franchise history based on winning percentage. Additionally, the Nuggets have appeared in the postseason on five occasions under his watch, including an NBA Championship and two Western Conference Finals appearances. Under his tenure, Denver has eight playoff series victories, which doubles the franchise total for the previous 32 years. Malone has totaled 37 postseason wins, ranking him first all-time in franchise history ahead of Doug Moe with 24.
In 647 games as Denver’s head coach, Malone has compiled a record of 377-274 (.579). The Nuggets also rank second in the NBA behind only the Milwaukee Bucks for the most combined regular season and postseason wins over the last six-year span with 295.