Sources – Nuggets’ Michael Malone to be among highest-paid coaches

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone has agreed to a contract extension that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA, sources told ESPN on Monday.

Malone’s new deal comes after leading the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship, the first in franchise history. Malone’s longtime partnership with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic — coupled with the organization’s deep and stable roster — gives Denver a chance for several more championship seasons.

Malone — who led Denver to a Western Conference-leading 8-2 record to start the 2023-24 season — spent eight seasons taking the franchise out of the lottery, to the playoffs and, ultimately, to an NBA title . Denver’s 16-4 run in the 2023 playoffs was the league’s most dominant since the Golden State Warriors in 2017.

Malone is the fourth-longest tenured coach in the league, behind San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra and Golden State’s Steve Kerr. He is 375-272 (.580) in the regular season with Denver and 37-31 (.554) in the playoffs.

Under Malone, the Nuggets have the second-best winning percentage in the NBA since the 2018-19 season, behind the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Malone ranks third all-time in games (647) and wins (375) among Nuggets head coaches, behind Doug Moe and George Karl.