Malone says Nuggets roster will change; 'Want to play fast'

Firing coach Michael Malone evidently wasn't general manager Pete D'Alessandro's idea.

Six months after the Kings showed him the door, Malone was introduced Tuesday as the new bench boss of the Nuggets at a press conference by none other than D'Alessandro, who recently left Sacramento to become Denver's senior vice president of business and team operations.

Malone is a somewhat surprising hire given his apparent preference for slower play, while the Nuggets have historically operated at a frenetic pace in order to take advantage of Denver's high altitude.

"I know what they want," Malone said of the Nuggets. "They made it clear from Day 1 that they want to play fast."

The decision to dismiss Malone in Sacramento was originally spun as being D'Alessandro's choice, but the move was reportedly made at the behest of owner Vivek Ranadive, who apparently wanted the team to step on the gas.

Malone getting a fresh start in Denver therefore seems like vindication for the coach. A longtime assistant before getting the head-coaching role in Sacramento ahead of the 2013-14 season, Malone believes Denver's current roster gives him a lot to work with.

"There's talent here. There's guys that are playoff tested," he said. "My question to all of these guys is: How serious are you about winning?"

Malone then said that the current roster will not be the same come next season. "The roster we have today will not be the roster we have in training camp," he told reporters.

Malone's deal is for four years, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, with the fourth year being a team option.

Malone, the son of former NBA coach Brendan Malone, previously worked as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. His removal in Sacramento came less than 25 games into the 2014-15 season, upsetting DeMarcus Cousins, who had been hospitalized with meningitis during a losing streak that stood as the impetus for Malone's firing.

The decision was largely derided at the time, standing as one of several curious changes to the Kings' power structure. Another former player of Malone's with the Kings, Isaiah Thomas, tweeted out his support for Monday's news.