Since the Nuggets’ shocking decision to clean house last Tuesday, most of the focus has been on the firing of head coach Michael Malone. After all, the season is still going on and this team has championship aspirations. Games are to be played and the team needs someone to coach them on the floor.
Firing the GM, Calvin Booth, was obviously a big deal as well, but a solution for that problem seems less urgent. The roster is set for now, they currently have no picks in the NBA Draft, and free agency won’t start for months.
Ben Tenzer has been named Interim General Manager and the rest of the front office has stayed in place. That team will continue business as usual, scouting and preparing for the offseason while answering and reporting to ownership.
In years past, that’s the route the Kroenkes have gone, promoting from within. When Masai Ujiri left for Toronto, they promoted Tim Connelly and struck gold yet again. When Connelly got plucked away by the T-Wolves, they promoted Booth to the top spot.
They’ve never paid up for proven executives, and for the most part, things have worked out. But it may be time for a drastic change as the team appears to be stuck. They have limited maneuverability financially and scarce assets to work with. The next few moves are going to be vital in salvaging what’s left of the Nikola Jokic era and they are not going to be easy. It might be time for the Kroenkes to bring in somebody with a track record to get this ship back on track.
Newly fired David Griffin may be perfect GM for the Nuggets
One possible replacement just hit the market on Monday morning as David Griffin was fired by the Pelicans where he has served since 2019. Griffin drafted the face of the franchise in Zion Williamson and has spent the past few years trying to build a roster around him.
The New Orleans Pelicans have fired executive vice president David Griffin, sources tell ESPN. After six seasons, the franchise will have a new head of basketball operations. pic.twitter.com/4VgYeMzwr3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 14, 2025
Unfortunately, Zion hasn’t been able to stay on the court and things have gone off the rails a bit, but Griffin has been able to find valuable players to fill out the roster with limited means such as Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Dyson Daniels, Jose Alvarado, and others. Those are exactly the kinds of role players the Nuggets desperately need around Jokic and Griffin’s scouting and draft acumen could be very helpful.
Beyond his work in New Orleans, Griffin helped build the Cavaliers team that won the championship in 2016. Griffin was the GM who orchestrated the LeBron James free agency signing, then dealt Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett for Kevin Love to finish off the big three of James, Love, and Kyrie Irving.
Griffin worked wonders putting solid young players and veterans around his guys to give them a chance to win rings and he clearly has what it takes to put a competitive roster around an elite superstar. Frankly, if not for Kevin Durant joining the Warriors, Griffin and the Cavs may well have hung several more banners.
He’s not a perfect fit in Denver, but nobody on the open market is likely to be. Griff has a proven track record and has done it in multiple places. It’s time for the Kroenkes to open up the checkbook and actually pay for proven talent; someone who will be on the same page as ownership, the coaching staff, and the players.
After the rocky past year and change with Malone and Booth at each others’ throats, it’s time to get this organization back on track. That could start with a leader like Griffin coming in and getting everybody on board with the vision for the future.