Morale among Denver Nuggets players was reportedly very low prior to Michael Malone's firing on Tuesday. Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Ramona Shelburne, one Nuggets source described players as being "freakin' miserable" in the final weeks prior to Malone being dismissed.

The Denver Nuggets one-upped them when they shockingly fired Michael Malone on Tuesday in the final days of the regular season. Less than two years removed from an NBA championship, Malone was kicked to the curb with the playoffs around the corner.

"Jokic was privy to the decision [firing Malone] before it was announced, and there was not an objection, people familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the team’s internal operations."