During Denver Nuggets governor and team president Josh Kroenke's press conference on Monday, a reporter prefaced a question by describing last week's firing of Michael Malone as "one of the latest" such decisions that a playoff-bound team has ever made.

The Nuggets parted ways with both Michael Malone and Calvin Booth because of a ‘cold war’ that was brewing behind the scenes. Can Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse avoid the same fate?

Michael Malone’s departure from the Denver Nuggets stirred controversy because it occurred before the NBA playoffs. Several days after his dismissal, Malone broke the ice, and he sent a message publicly for the first time since his exit.