The Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth earlier this week in a move that shocked many. It was well-known around league circles that the coach and GM did not get along and the team hoped that shaking things up this late in the season might inspire a playoff run.
After the firings, one of the first things that came out was that Booth and Malone had disagreed with the coach's insistence on sticking with Russell Westbrook. It turns out that Booth wasn't the only one bothered by Malone's treatment of the veteran point guard. According to The Athletic, Westbrook was a big "lightning rod" for players as well. Via
Westbrook infamously missed a huge layup that helped the Nuggets blow a game in which Nikola Jokic had a 60-point triple-double. Westbrook was benched in favor of Jalen Pickett.
On Wednesday night in David Adelman's first game as coach Westbrook was on the bench down the stretch of a win over the Sacramento Kings.