During Denver Nuggets governor and team president Josh Kroenke's press conference on Monday, a reporter prefaced a question by describing last week's firing of Michael Malone as "one of the latest" such decisions that a playoff-bound team has ever made.

Firing the head coach and general manager with just three games left in the regular season might seem like an impulsive move but Denver Nuggets coach Josh Kroenke said Tuesday the split was months in the making.

Malone coached the Nuggets for 10 seasons and led the team to a title in 2023, the first in franchise history. David Adelman, an assistant on Malone's staff, took over as interim coach following the longtime coach's sudden departure. The Nuggets finish their regular season Sunday against the Houston Rockets as they battle for playoff positioning.