Member of Nuggets championship team reacts strongly on social media to firing

To say that ownership put the Denver Nuggets in an interesting position on Tuesday would be an understatement. Josh Kroenke decided the best time to fire Michael Malone and Calvin Booth was five days before the regular-season finale.

Malone is the winningest coach in Nuggets history, falling short of completing 10 seasons in Denver. He led the organization to its first-ever title less than two years ago. The future seemed bright in Denver after the 2022-23 season, but look at how things have changed. Nobody could've predicted Malone getting fired right before the start of the playoffs.

It was no secret that there was tension between Malone and the front office. He and Booth reportedly went long periods without talking. They didn't see eye to eye. It seemed like ownership would have to choose between one or the other when the offseason rolled around, but Kroenke stunned everyone by getting rid of both in early April.

Reactions to the news, specifically about the Malone firing, have been rolling in on social media. Many fans feel that Kroenke's decision not to wait until the offseason to fire Malone is disrespectful, especially after everything he accomplished in Denver. The Nuggets have lost four straight and are clinging to the No. 4 seed in the East, so the next few days are critical for Denver.

It's unknown how current players feel, but one former player weighed in on the news on X (Twitter). Collin Gillespie, who went undrafted in 2022 and signed with the Nuggets, tweeted "Nasty work" before deleting it a few minutes later.

Collin Gillespie reacted to bizarre Nuggets news on social media

Gillespie signed a two-way contract with Denver in 2022, but unfortunately, he broke his leg that summer and missed the entire season. He was a fixture on the Nuggets' bench, watching from the sideline as the team beat the Heat in the NBA Finals.

He appeared in 24 games for Denver in 2023-24, averaging 3.6 points and 1.1 assists per game. The guard was a free agent last summer and signed a two-way deal with the Suns.

Malone has spoken highly of Gillespie numerous times, including a few weeks ago after the guard hit a clutch three-pointer to seal Phoenix's win over Minnesota.

It doesn't take much thought to know that Gillespie's since-deleted tweet was about Denver firing Malone at an inopportune time. Maybe Gillespie didn't expect the tweet to gain traction as quickly as it did, which led to him deleting it. Regardless, he made it clear how he feels. You can bet that there are current Nuggets players who feel the same way.

Kroenke thinks that firing Malone puts Denver in a better position to win a championship, but that's a level of optimism that most of the fanbase isn't feeling. It seems like Gillespie is just as confused as the rest of us!