Best, worst, and most likely impacts of Malone firing on Jokic's Nuggets future

The Denver Nuggets decided to one-up the Grizzlies by firing head coach Michael Malone on Tuesday, less than one week before the end of the regular season. Fans' initial reaction was that Calvin Booth pushed for Malone to be fired, but ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the GM was also relieved of his duties.

Josh Kroenke released a statement, calling Malone's firing "a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now." Kroenke added, "Championship-level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season." The timing of the firing of both Malone and Booth is even more bizarre than the Taylor Jenkins news. Denver is fourth in the West, slipping down the standings after losing four straight without Jamal Murray, but that doesn't justify the decision.

There are far more questions than answers right now, the biggest being Nikola Jokic's future in Denver. Jokic was drafted by the Nuggets in 2014 and joined the Nuggets in 2015, which coincided with Malone's first season as head coach. The two share a close relationship, and as fans know, Jokic prioritizes loyalty.

One would assume that Kroenke got Jokic's input on the decision to fire Malone before it happened, especially considering the timing. It's hard to see Jokic giving the deal a green light. Fans of other Western Conference contenders hope that an early playoff exit (or worse, failure to make it past the Play-In Tournament) will result in the 30-year-old superstar requesting a trade out of Denver.

What does Michael Malone's firing mean for Nikola Jokic?

Less than two years ago, nobody thought Jokic leaving the Nuggets would ever be an option, at least not so soon.

It's impossible to know how he feels about Malone leaving. He might be trying to process the news like the rest of us. He should speak to the media soon enough, as Denver will play Sacramento tomorrow night. In the meantime, let's outline what it could mean.

The best-case scenario for the Nuggets is for Jokic to spend the rest of his career in Denver. That one is a no-brainer. He's nearing the end of his most incredible NBA season, and that's saying a lot. When you think Jokic can't get better, he does. He's not going to slow down anytime soon.

The worst impact of Malone leaving is Denver falling into Play-In Tournamant range and not securing a spot in the playoffs, which would be an absolute travesty when you have a player like Jokic on the roster. That could lead to fans' worst nightmare -- Jokic wanting out. He'd get an even bigger haul than the one the Mavericks could've gotten for Luka Doncic if there had been a bidding war.

You're not alone if you're struggling to envision a world where Jokic requests a trade. He's far from your typical NBA star. Jokic likes to lay low, spending his free time out of the spotlight. When he retires, his trips to the United States (if there are any) will be far and few between.

This isn't to make Nuggets fans feel better, but it seems like it'd take an apocalypse for Jokic to request a trade. The news feels like the world is ending -- at least in Denver -- but Jokic is still around. It honestly seems like he'd opt to retire rather than request a trade, but again, this is all speculation.

Fans know Jokic will continue to give it his all for the final three regular-season games, and Tuesday's news doesn't change that. He somehow finds a way to elevate his game in the playoffs. None of that will change (unless the Nuggets fail to advance to the first round).

Only Jokic (and his family) knows how he feels right now. Kroenke said the decisions were made to put the Nuggets in a better position to win a championship, but the vibes are the opposite. You don't do this at the tail end of a regular season, especially with a team fighting for playoff seeding.

The bottom line is that the best basketball player in the world resides in Denver, and it feels like his organization let him down.