Malone's continue support for Westbrook led to frustration and losing credibility

[1987_Lakers]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6269100/2025/04/10/nuggets-firings-mike-malone-calvin-booth-nba/

"Malone’s choice to continue supporting Westbrook — despite the frustration he was causing on and off the floor — ultimately led to a loss of credibility among the team’s key players."

All the while, Malone’s choice to continue supporting Westbrook — despite the frustration he was causing on and off the floor ultimately led to a loss of credibility among the team’s key players. It was one thing when Malone handled Jokić and Murray with more leniency than the rest of their group, but affording Westbrook that sort of treatment, even with his Hall of Fame resume, wasn’t received well by some.

That dynamic intensified recently, starting with Westbrook’s meltdown against Minnesota on April 1 in which his late-game blunders cost Denver the win and spoiled Jokić’s 60-point triple-double. After a brutal Jokić turnover late in a loss to Indiana on Sunday, when he and Westbrook miscommunicated up top and the big man’s pass flew out of bounds, Malone defended his veteran point guard in a way that was seen by some as a shot at the team’s young talents.

[BarberSchool]

The crackbaby will either directly or in this case, indirectly, ruin the chemistry (on court and off) of whatever team signs him.

His trackstar athleticism and fitness-work-ethic are undeniable, top tier no doubt. His speed to the cup is top tier no doubt. But his inability to learn from mistakes, his inability to evolve his game and add skills he didn’t have as a rookie, his horrific decision making, and incredibly stupefying low ball IQ, are incompatible with winning teams, with a high IQ locker room, and high IQ coaching staff.

Dude is the archetype of my least favorite type of player, hyper aggressive athletes who can’t shoot, who make horrible decisions and tons of stupid turnovers, but still wanna be point guards, when really, they’re shooting guards who can’t shoot.. the worst.

[tpols]

Dude is a straight up Trojan horse. If he was still on the Lakers he would've imploded them too.

[ILLsmak]

I mean Jokic has to be one of the all time great NBA minds. I can't understand why he brought WB in. Maybe he was thinking if it works it works, and if not, dump his ass, but it puts his coach in a bad position... Jokic campaigned for WB, so saying WB is trash or not playing him would be an insult to Jokic, unless they communicated in private, in which case, I kinda doubt he would have defended him.

Tough spot! People can only do what they do, though. I would not have WB on the floor in key moments. I would use him as someone to push the pace, but when someone goes 125% speed, when the game slows down, they have issues. Jokic should KNOW THIS. I'ma send him an e-mail.

-Smak

[tpols]

I mean Jokic has to be one of the all time great NBA minds. I can't understand why he brought WB in. Maybe he was thinking if it works it works, and if not, dump his ass, but it puts his coach in a bad position... Jokic campaigned for WB, so saying WB is trash or not playing him would be an insult to Jokic, unless they communicated in private, in which case, I kinda doubt he would have defended him.

Tough spot! People can only do what they do, though. I would not have WB on the floor in key moments. I would use him as someone to push the pace, but when someone goes 125% speed, when the game slows down, they have issues. Jokic should KNOW THIS. I'ma send him an e-mail.

-Smak

Lebron wanted Westbrook too I think. Guys think they can change him I think, but you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

[Lakers Legend#32]

Westbrook is poison.

[ImKobe]

Jokic is the one who wanted Russ on the team lol, and it's not like they have anyone better than Russ at point with Murray out.

[Duffy Pratt]

Would the Nuggets be better without him? Was there someone better available for the veteran’s minimum?

This all goes back to the GM, and ultimately to the owner being unwilling to pay for a sufficient roster to back Jokic in his prime.

On balance, the Nuggets would be 4-8 games worse this season without him. That means play-in at best, and lottery more likely.

[tpols]

Would the Nuggets be better without him? Was there someone better available for the veteran’s minimum?

This all goes back to the GM, and ultimately to the owner being unwilling to pay for a sufficient roster to back Jokic in his prime.

On balance, the Nuggets would be 4-8 games worse this season without him. That means play-in at best, and lottery more likely.

I mean if it got the coach fired and ruined teammate chemistry? That's not worth any veteran minimum. That's not worth .01 penny. It's a credit not a debit.

[RRR3]

Would the Nuggets be better without him? Was there someone better available for the veteran’s minimum?

This all goes back to the GM, and ultimately to the owner being unwilling to pay for a sufficient roster to back Jokic in his prime.

On balance, the Nuggets would be 4-8 games worse this season without him. That means play-in at best, and lottery more likely.
GmKic wanted him.

[Full Court]

Just think, this is the guy that Lebron and his "War Room" decided to recruit. :roll:

[Duffy Pratt]

I mean if it got the coach fired and ruined teammate chemistry? That's not worth any veteran minimum. That's not worth .01 penny. It's a credit not a debit.

So you are saying that the Nuggets would be better off if they hadn’t picked him up and they were in the lottery?

[MrFonzworth]

Just think, this is the guy that Lebron and his "War Room" decided to recruit. :roll:

Your obsession seems healthy and normal.

[Axe]

Your obsession seems healthy and normal.
:oldlol:

[ImKobe]

I mean if it got the coach fired and ruined teammate chemistry? That's not worth any veteran minimum. That's not worth .01 penny. It's a credit not a debit.

This is stupid. He won the Nuggets a bunch of games and has been at least twice as good as Reggie Jackson was last year man. Yeah he came up short in crunch time but he shouldn't even be in that position to begin with, but he is as a vet min player because of the horrible roster construction. He shouldn't have to play 2000+ minutes a season at this point in his career but the Nuggets' bench has been WOAT for years.

[FKAri]

I mean Jokic has to be one of the all time great NBA minds. I can't understand why he brought WB in. Maybe he was thinking if it works it works, and if not, dump his ass, but it puts his coach in a bad position... Jokic campaigned for WB, so saying WB is trash or not playing him would be an insult to Jokic, unless they communicated in private, in which case, I kinda doubt he would have defended him.

Tough spot! People can only do what they do, though. I would not have WB on the floor in key moments. I would use him as someone to push the pace, but when someone goes 125% speed, when the game slows down, they have issues. Jokic should KNOW THIS. I'ma send him an e-mail.

-Smak

Westbrook is a great pickup for the price. With Murray out it made sense to play him bug minutes.

It seems more the problem was between the GM and the coach in terms of playing the young guys vs the vets. If you're in win now mode you should be focused on playing the best guys rather than developing the young guys. They can fit in as needed. These conflicting priorities messed them up. Not Westbrook specifically.

[imdaman99]

Hah I'm sure all the casuals in this thread would prefer someone else get Westbrook's minutes. Why don't you name them? Mike Malone is a championship coach and he wanted Westbrook to play. Booth is a bad GM that wanted some random draft busts to play.

Waiting on the same old casuals to make a new thread once Nuggets lose in the playoffs scapegoating Westbrook

[NBAGOAT]

Hah I'm sure all the casuals in this thread would prefer someone else get Westbrook's minutes. Why don't you name them? Mike Malone is a championship coach and he wanted Westbrook to play. Booth is a bad GM that wanted some random draft busts to play.

Waiting on the same old casuals to make a new thread once Nuggets lose in the playoffs scapegoating Westbrook

Pickett should get minutes, there’s something there. Granted my friends a nuggets fan so I get some info from him. Nuggets should go as short a rotation as possible and Russ cannot playing without Jokic

[ILLsmak]

Hah I'm sure all the casuals in this thread would prefer someone else get Westbrook's minutes. Why don't you name them? Mike Malone is a championship coach and he wanted Westbrook to play. Booth is a bad GM that wanted some random draft busts to play.

Waiting on the same old casuals to make a new thread once Nuggets lose in the playoffs scapegoating Westbrook

It’s like bringing in Rodman and letting him go ape and kill the team. It’s not a black and white thing; it’s not being able to say when. When WB is getting a triple dub he plays, when he is selling, you don’t lecture him or call him out, you put any other player who is on the roster in.

-Smak

[Mask the Embiid]

"Its a bench players fault why we got eliminated from the playoffs!"

i can already hear it lmao. "Westbrook in his 18 mins played cost us the championship!"


Shit its that easy? fk it! It was TJ mcconnell's fault all them years and Robert Covington lmao..... George Niange didn't show up and blew the game.....

Imagine Jordan fans blaming Steve Kerr for why they didn't win in 95.....Already got a built in excuse for when kawhi or shai kicks his ass.you muthafukas are pathetic. I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart to every....single.....jokic fan

[BarberSchool]

"Its a bench players fault why we got eliminated from the playoffs!"

i can already hear it lmao. "Westbrook in his 18 mins played cost us the championship!"


Shit its that easy? fk it! It was TJ mcconnell's fault all them years and Robert Covington lmao..... George Niange didn't show up and blew the game.....

Imagine Jordan fans blaming Steve Kerr for why they didn't win in 95.....Already got a built in excuse for when kawhi or shai kicks his ass.you muthafukas are pathetic. I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart to every....single.....jokic fan
YO

Shut the fu@k up with this bullsh!t
You couldn’t even possibly believe it.

When have you ever seen Covington, McConnell, Niang ever make,
IN CRUNCH TIME :

BACK TO BACK TO BACK TO BACK
“middle school stupid mistakes”
That cost their team the game ?
Ever ?

Even once ?

We’re not talking one bad play, then a foul.
We’re talking back to back to back at least.
That EVERYONE in the stadium recognizes.
Westbrick done that sh!t at least 350 times.

Aim that blame somewhere else, you disingenuous fu@k

[ImKobe]

"Its a bench players fault why we got eliminated from the playoffs!"

i can already hear it lmao. "Westbrook in his 18 mins played cost us the championship!"


Shit its that easy? fk it! It was TJ mcconnell's fault all them years and Robert Covington lmao..... George Niange didn't show up and blew the game.....

Imagine Jordan fans blaming Steve Kerr for why they didn't win in 95.....Already got a built in excuse for when kawhi or shai kicks his ass.you muthafukas are pathetic. I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart to every....single.....jokic fan

Have to agree with this.

1. Jokic wanted Westbrook
2. Westbrook is a ROLE player (a VET MIN one at that), if you're gonna live or die by Westbrook that is a YOU problem

[ArbitraryWater]

Have to agree with this.

1. Jokic wanted Westbrook
2. Westbrook is a ROLE player (a VET MIN one at that), if you're gonna live or die by Westbrook that is a YOU problem


whos the YOU?

[Wardell Curry]

It’s like bringing in Rodman and letting him go ape and kill the team. It’s not a black and white thing; it’s not being able to say when. When WB is getting a triple dub he plays, when he is selling, you don’t lecture him or call him out, you put any other player who is on the roster in.

-Smak

This is exactly correct. But there is one problem with this line of thinking. Even when Westbrook is having a spectacular night he can literally hand the opposing team a win for no apparent reason whatsoever. I've also seen him hit incredibly clutch shots to win games.

Westbrook give and Westbrook take away.

Google says there have been 36 NBA MVPs throughout history and I'd take any single of the other 35. I don't care if some weren't "modern era" players.

[Wardell Curry]

Russell Westbrook is an extremely physically talented while simultaneously painfully unaware player. He seems super nice off the court so God bless but in terms of on court? **** that guy.

[ImKobe]

whos the YOU?

All the Russ haters and the Jokic nutriders who are blaming Westbrook for how their season ended.

They have 2 point guards on the roster. If Murray's hurt or fouls out Russ is the next guy in line. Not his fault they put him out there in crunch time. The only other guard I could see them playing out there is Jalen Pickett, he can make some 3s but he's not a real playmaker. Did have a triple-double though but I'm not sure he's going to be as consistent from game to game and it's too late in the season to make that change imo, but they'll probably try.

[ShawkFactory]

All the Russ haters and the Jokic nutriders who are blaming Westbrook for how their season ended.

They have 2 point guards on the roster. If Murray's hurt or fouls out Russ is the next guy in line. Not his fault they put him out there in crunch time. The only other guard I could see them playing out there is Jalen Pickett, he can make some 3s but he's not a real playmaker. Did have a triple-double though but I'm not sure he's going to be as consistent from game to game and it's too late in the season to make that change imo, but they'll probably try.

You're kind of making everyone's point. The fact that the Nuggets are in a position to have to live and (most likely) die by Westbrook is a real issue.

[tpols]

You're kind of making everyone's point. The fact that the Nuggets are in a position to have to live and (most likely) die by Westbrook is a real issue.

They're going to truly be playing 4v5 with Westbrook and dare him to shoot wide open 3s all game long. It doesn't even matter if he makes them because it cripples spacing for everybody else and puts the whole offense on tilt.

[ArbitraryWater]

All the Russ haters and the Jokic nutriders who are blaming Westbrook for how their season ended.

They have 2 point guards on the roster. If Murray's hurt or fouls out Russ is the next guy in line. Not his fault they put him out there in crunch time. The only other guard I could see them playing out there is Jalen Pickett, he can make some 3s but he's not a real playmaker. Did have a triple-double though but I'm not sure he's going to be as consistent from game to game and it's too late in the season to make that change imo, but they'll probably try.


I dont get it, its the fans problem? lol. If the Nuggets live or die by Westbrook thats a Nuggets fans problem?

Wut