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.

Firing the head coach and general manager with just three games left in the regular season might seem like an impulsive move but Denver Nuggets coach Josh Kroenke said Tuesday the split was months in the making.

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.