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.

In the past few months, the NBA has seen perhaps the most shocking trade (Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers) in league history, the record-breaking sale of one of its most recognizable franchises (the Boston Celtics) and two respected coaches (Taylor Jenkins and Michael Malone) fired with less than 10 games left in the regular season.

These are the coaches who won NBA championships in the last six years: Joe Mazzulla with Boston, Michael Malone with Denver, Steve Kerr with Golden State, Mike Budenholzer with Milwaukee, Frank Vogel with the Los Angeles Lakers and Nick Nurse with Toronto.