Picking Up The Pieces: The Aftermath Of An Era's End

A look at team dynamics in the firing of Michael Malone, his legacy, and how David Adelman is changing Denver

Photo by Steven Thompson on Unsplash

It’s been three days since Michael Malone was fired and it was announced Calvin Booth would not be retained at season’s end, effectively ending his tenure as head of basketball operations for the Denver Nuggets.

In that time, we’ve had stories from the Athletic and ESPN that echo most of what I shared here:

There are a few things I’ve picked up on since then, a look at the Kings game and the defense, and we’ll go over those, plus some retrospective thoughts on Malone.

THE JOKIC QUESTION, CONTINUED

After the win over the Kings, Jokic spoke to reporters. He was his typical matter of fact self about it, saying he was informed before the team was, that he was told the decision and not asked for his approval, and that that’s how it goes.

I was a little surprised at this interview. He said he texted Malone. He talked about a ten-year relationship and how it was hard day for everyone, but it’s a business.

“Is this all gonna be about coach?” he asked.

I’m not surprised he was so matter of fact, that’s how he is. But there wasn’t an effort for him to go out of his way to express anything about his relationship with Malone, about their time together, about what they accomplished. Maybe that’s not the time.

But the growing sense from various pieces and my ongoing conversations is that two things are simultaneously true: a. Jokic did not ask for this to happen, as I reported initially, nor do I believe he was asked whether he wanted it or not by ownership and b. Jokic did not object to that decision. Maybe that’s as simple as “Josh is the owner, and he made the call and that’s how it is.” Or maybe it reflects where things had gotten to between Malone and the team.

Either way, it’s a sad ending, Jokic speaking in the locker room about changing things and nary a word about it.

I struggle here because whatever the opposite of “wearing your heart on your sleeve” is where Jokic is with the media. He’s secretive, closed off, and defensive. It goes beyond normal superstar distrust and more like someone trying to weave through a crowded grocery store to get in and out through the express self-check out as quickly as possible.

Maybe he’s heartbroken for Malone. Maybe he’s glad he’s gone. Maybe both. But I will say that in the day since the firing, I feel more confident Jokic is totally fine with the decision.

SPEAKING OF THAT KINGS GAME

The Nuggets did not look dramatically different, nor did I expect them to. Pickett played more, Russ played less. (We’ll come back to that.) That was significant.

The Nuggets played a lot harder, closed out harder, executed harder, played with more spirit. That was significant.

Jokic’s usage was way down, which everyone took note of. I wonder how much of that was pureposeful and how much of that was the Kings. That’s the problem with one-game samples.

But I wasn’t worried about the offense. Defensively, there were some wrinkles that, again, are hard to parse from overall scheme adjustment to this gameplan specifically.

Take this possession early on. A few things to watch:

• Jokic plays a drop zone when Ellis is the pick and roll initiator

• Christian Braun doesn’t just hang out in the paint, this is not “2.9.” The minute Ellis gets over that pick and Jokic is back he sprints to close out on LaVine to prevent that corner three

• Look at MPJ staying home in the corner

Now it results in a wide-open pick and pop three. That might be a vulnerability. But this looks a lot better. AG’s not over-rotating to Sabonis which would lead MPJ to close out on DeRozan, leaving the corner open.

Jokic has a ton of deflections and steals this season, but it definitely felt like he was way more engaged at the level, which makes that scheme way more effective. When he plays “stand at the level of the screen passively,” the Nuggets get killed. When he gets into guys’ dribble, he can blow up plays:

Same thing on this one, the level of disruption from Jokic is disparate from a month ago:

It wasn’t all pretty. This is a miss because it’s DeRozan. But with a higher screen, LaVine is able to easily get past Jokic. Joker can’t play drop there, LaVine would pull-up for a clean three. But MPJ has to help here low, and that creates that same corner three that continues to be a problem for Denver:

On this one, I liked the Nuggets’ communication. Russ calls out for help with Lyles, Joker, tells Peyton to pick him up, they switch the screen and get Peyton on LaVine. Joker is now in the weakside zone guarding both the dunker and McDermott, and when MPJ gets a little caught in no-man’s land, Julian Strawther helps down on the dunker to help Joker so he doesn’t have to guard both.

But Joker once again does what I’ve been talking the team struggling with as a whole and over-helps. Watson still has containment there and has a good chance at preventing an easy layup even if he gives up a hard one. McDermott misses this. But look at the options here:

• LaVine pull-up short jumper with Peyton Watson closing

• LaVine contested layup with Peyton Watson closing forthe chasedown

• A corner three for Doug McDermott

The Nuggets gave up the most efficient shot of those options.

This, however, goes on the list of the best Nuggets defensive possessions of the season.

Off an OREB they try and run a DHO to get LaVine the ball off a stagger screen situation, improvised. But Jalen Pickett makes a great read and denies the catch which is huge. Then, when they go into pick and roll, Jokic contains at the level and CB fronts Sabonis to deny the short roll baseline.

DeRozan doesn’t have time to get the edge to get the pass to the weakside corner, and AG has that mostly contained.

It’s the communication, effort, and positioning that’s so much better. They’re not scrambling, behind, and lost.

Denver’s KYP¹ was much better in this game as well, playing different coverages and rotations vs. the right guys.

ABOUT WESTBROOK

Back to the firings, there is an uncomfortable narrative forming.

Russ had the week from hell last week. The Minnesota game. The Spurs game the night after. The media availability stuff.

When Malone started Pickett over Russ, it was absolutely notable. When Malone noted how not getting Russ back in to close the Pacers game cost them because of Jalen’s turnover, that was notable. When Adelman played Pickett way more, Russ way less, and closed with Pickett, it was extremely notable.

Pickett got caught in the crossfire of Malone vs. Booth but it also should be said that Pickett was atrocious in Summer League to the point where his most ardent supporters² even thought he just wasn’t good. But he worked his way back in by doing the right things, and, on top of some injuries, found a way into the rotation.

Booth being furious that Malone wouldn’t close with one of his guys isn’t surprising at all. But the sense that the locker room also felt that way is. That means the veterans didn’t want Russ closing.

Fans are one thing, every Westbrook bad miss and turnover infuriates fans, it has on every team he’s been on since OKC who were used to it.

But for the veterans to not support that move is baffling.

This is another area where you wonder what Jokic thinks (and he’ll absolutely never tell media). Jokic was the reason they brought in Westbrook. Do not let this get revised by history. The messaging at the time was that Jokic let it be know that the team needed a few veterans and he’d be happy if Westbrook were added.

Did Malone overplay Westbrook despite the locker room being out on him? That’s what’s being suggested, and I have a hard time with it because while I have seen locker rooms turn on certain players for certain reasons, I haven’t seen this group turn on a respected veteran like that.

I don’t want to reject the possibility because that’s what it looks like right now, but I also don’t want to support that allegation if it’s untrue, because it’s disrespectful to the locker room.