JR Smith has a really interesting opinion about Michael Malone

Michael Malone became the second-winningest coach in Denver Nuggets history this regular season and he’s just eight victories shy of tying Doug Moe’s famous mark of 432. With a championship to his name and yet another deep playoff run appearing to blossom right now, Malone may be the shoo-in choice for the best coach in Mile High City hoops history.

One former Nuggets guard who went on to win a championship with the Lakers was so impressed by Malone after Denver defeated Los Angeles for a second straight year that he is considering a fascinating hypothetical.

JR Smith thinks that his Nuggets would’ve captured a ring had Malone been their bench boss, writing his take on Twitter Monday night.

I think we would have won a ship for sure with #malone at the helm

— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) April 30, 2024

Smith, a fantastic player who dazzled with dunks and sparkled with his shooting, went on to win two championships as a role player for LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers and again with James for the Lakers.

But Smith spent the largest chunk of his career in Denver and was mighty successful sparking things up off the bench behind Carmelo Anthony. But most famous is Smith’s feud with head coach George Karl. It’s to the point where Smith still has Karl blocked on social media. Last year Smith blamed Karl for the Nuggets bowing out in the 2009 Western Conference Conference Finals because the team couldn’t inbound the basketball late in two games and the former player said the coach didn’t have any plays for the situation.

That 2009 year was the only season where the Nuggets won a playoff series in the Anthony era, a time mostly coached by Karl. They lost in the third round in six games to Los Angeles, who went on to beat a weak Magic team in five games for the title.

Smith was the third-leading scorer on those Nuggets, netting 15.2 points a contest. This beef didn’t just reheat in 2023 but has been on the back burner since the blunder in 2009—popping off in 2016 when Karl called Smtih an entitled baby in a book. A bunch of former Nuggets had a lot to say then.

Maybe it’s that Smith thinks Malone would’ve had plays for those game-ending inbounds passes or that Malone could’ve led a different year’s group deeper. Either way, now that the Nuggets have finally slayed the Lakers, twice, and won their first championship—this all feels like ancient history. It’s from another era and time of the Nuggets but it is interesting to think that if Denver pulls through in 2009 led by a young 38-year-old Malone what does the future look like?

Melo probably stays, No. 15 is in the rafters for Anthony and Malone would’ve been anointed a mastermind way ahead of when he was. All of it probably makes this current era of Nuggets basketball null, especially considering the fact that part of the Melo trade was netting the draft pick that was used to select Jamal Murray. Malone didn’t become a head coach until 2013, working in the league as an assistant for many of Smith’s peak years.

Anyway, Karl was the second-winningest coach in Nuggets history before Malone took that honor this spring. In the next six months, it’s highly likely Malone will become the undisputed best coach in franchise history—which makes it fun to think about him leading the Melo era squad of maybe even David Thompson of Alex English’s best years.